The vast majority of breast changes are not breast cancer. If a woman finds a lump or other change in her breast or nipple it may be caused by one of the conditions described below. Remember, you should always see your doctor if you notice any changes in your breasts. Breast x-rays or mammograms often [...]

Breast screening is the best method for detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages. Early detection offers the best chance of successful treatment and recovery. Screening mammograms use low dose x-rays of the breasts to detect cancers that are too small to be felt by you or your doctor. Two-yearly mammography screening is most effective [...]

Breast cancer affects one in 12 Australian women, with around 2,600 Victorians diagnosed as having the disease every year. There are different types of breast cancer. Around 60 per cent are sensitive to the female sex hormone oestrogen. These cancers are called receptor positive cancers. Paradoxically, breast cancer is more common in postmenopausal women, whose [...]

Breast cancer affects one in 11 Australian women. Around 3,000 Victorian women are diagnosed with the disease every year. It is most common in women over the age of 50 years. Men can also develop breast cancer, although this is extremely rare. Each year about 20 men a year are diagnosed in Victoria. There are [...]

The foods we eat can affect our risk of developing certain types of cancer. High energy and high fat diets can lead to obesity and are generally thought to increase the risk of some cancers. Plant-based diets high in fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and wholegrain foods may help to prevent cancer. Diet is just one [...]

The colon and rectum together are known as the large bowel. Bowel cancer usually affects the large bowel. Cancer of the large bowel is also known as ‘colorectal cancer’. Illustration above adapted from original illustration, courtesy of the Cancer Council Victoria. Bowel cancer is diagnosed in more than 3,400 Victorians and over 12,500 Australians every [...]

Screening is testing a group of people in the population for signs of a disease when treatment is still possible. Screening tests aim to find disease in the early stages before it causes symptoms. Tests are offered to people who may have an increased risk of a particular disease because of their age, gender or [...]

Anyone can develop skin cancer, but risk factors include skin type, having moles and freckles, sun exposure and solarium use. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Two in three Australians will develop some form of skin cancer before they reach the age of 70 and 1,700 people die [...]