Hansard

I am pleased to speak in this debate at the start of breast cancer awareness month and I congratulate Linda Fabiani on her motion, which highlights the importance of early diagnosis of breast cancer. I would also like to endorse Jackie Baillie’s recently lodged motion on the same subject, because I think that it is important that we all unite in support of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and other cancer charities, which are working to get home to women the importance of looking out for any physical changes that might indicate cancer at an early stage, when it is likely to be easily and successfully treated. We have heard of many personal successes this evening.

It is important, too, to acknowledge the Government’s detect cancer early initiative, which has rightly selected breast cancer as the first cancer type to be targeted.

Given that breast cancer affects one in eight of the female population, I have no doubt that we have all been in contact with someone who has developed breast cancer. I had my first close contact with the condition more than 30 years ago, when I and three close friends from my medical school class all developed breast lumps. Mine was a cyst, and I still remember the palpable relief all around when the surgeon’s probe found fluid rather than solid tissue. One of my friends had a benign fibroadenoma, while the other two had cancer. Sadly, one of them died fairly soon after diagnosis from liver secondaries. If anyone has noticed the well-worn and very shabby purse that I always carry with me, the reason I will not replace it is because it was a 21st birthday present from that friend. The fourth member of our group lived with her cancer for around 15 years, until she eventually succumbed to very slow-growing lung secondaries. Therefore, I have been very much aware of breast cancer for many years. I would never miss a screening appointment, and I intend to submit to regular mammography after the age when screening is routinely on offer.

I was interested to hear Linda Fabiani mention older women, because the need to be aware of breast cancer into old age was brought home to me recently when a friend, who is also a constituent, contacted me to ask for breast cancer statistics in women over the age of 70. While she was in hospital for a lumpectomy, she had met two other patients in the same ward whose cancer had been diagnosed when they were in their 70s. That set me thinking about how many women, once they have reached the age when routine screening stops, might assume that their risk of developing breast cancer has fallen when, in fact, the risk increases with age.

With an ageing population, an increasing number of women will be at risk. I know that Breakthrough Breast Cancer and other organisations point out that the risk continues, but I wonder whether more emphasis should be put on that. I raised that point with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing during health questions last week.

Clearly, the importance of early diagnosis applies to all age groups. I hope that the publicity of breast cancer awareness month will remind all women of not only regular screening but regular self-examination and encourage them to pay attention to the touch, look, check message that is being promoted by Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Many people nowadays survive diagnosis of breast cancer for many years, and many more could do so if that diagnosis was made early.

I congratulate Linda Fabiani on doing her bit in Parliament to highlight the need to be aware of breast cancer, and I give all credit to those who work year in, year out to educate the general public on the importance of regular vigilance and self-examination, so that the condition can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.

17:40