Research by ELC UK & Ireland Shows Half of Women Do Not Regularly Check Their Breasts

Press Release, 12 Oct 2021

THE ESTÉE LAUDER COMPANIES’ BREAST CANCER CAMPAIGN AIMS TO CONNECT, UNITE AND EMPOWER EVERY BODY TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO CHECK THEIR BREASTS AT A VIRTUAL SELF-CHECK EVENT ON 20^TH OCTOBER

Photo Credit @DaveBenett

New research released today by The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) UK & Ireland as part of The Estée Lauder Companies’ 2021 Breast Cancer Campaign and to mark Breast Cancer Awareness month, has revealed that half of all women^* aren’t checking their breasts regularly enough¹. This highlights that more needs to be done to encourage everybody (including men) to check for signs of breast cancer, especially women under the age of 40, South Asian women and Black women who according to the research are least likely to check.

The study of 2,000 women in the UK¹ found one in four women aged 18-39 years admit to never checking their breasts as they believe they are too young, don’t think it will affect them or feel they are too busy. What’s more, a quarter of women in this age group reveal they do not have the confidence to check themselves.

It also emerged that of those surveyed, South Asian women are the least likely to check themselves compared to other ethnicities, with 40 per cent never checking at all – compared to 27 per cent of Black women and 13 per cent for all other ethnicities. A third of South Asian women say they don’t know what to look for or forget, and more than one in twenty (seven per cent) don’t feel comfortable checking themselves due to cultural reasons. Furthermore, the survey revealed that Black women are least likely to feel confident that they know how to check or what to look for (43 per cent) and 15 per cent fear being judged by others.

The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign’s call to help end breast cancer is more urgent than ever, as female breast cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide —surpassing lung cancer for the first time in 2020—with an estimated 2.3 million new cases². This year, an ambition of The ELC’s UK & Ireland’s Breast Cancer Campaign is to build upon reaching under-represented communities, that are often disproportionally affected by breast cancer, and encourage everybody to regularly check their breasts³.

Sue Fox, President of The ELC UK & Ireland said: “Breast cancer is a diverse disease, not a disease with a single story. It is a disease that affects everyone, and this year’s campaign remains unwavering in uniting people to create a breast cancer-free world. It’s #TimeToEndBreastCancer.”

Elizabeth Hurley, longstanding Global Ambassador for ELC's Breast Cancer Campaign, said: "My role as Global Ambassador for The Breast Cancer Campaign continues to be my life's most meaningful work. I joined Evelyn to work on The Campaign shortly after she started it in the early 1990s. Over the years, I've seen the powerful impact The Estée Lauder Companies has had on the global breast cancer community, including ground-breaking progress made through the research The Campaign has funded to advance science, treatments, and care. We must carry on Evelyn's Legacy and come together to support The Campaign and help to find a cure for this disease"

Of those women who do check their breasts, nearly half (49 per cent) don’t know all the signs to look for. And women agree men should be clued up too, as 80 per cent of all women believe men should know the different signs of breast cancer so they can help spot it in their partner as this could help improve the chances of an early diagnosis.

Dr Zoe Williams, GP and broadcaster, says: “The research conducted shows that half of women are not checking their breasts regularly and 14 per cent never check their breasts. We need to feel free to talk about breast health; it should be part of your self-care routine, just like brushing your teeth. There's no shame, breasts are part of our bodies. It's our responsibility to take care of them. Regular checking is vital, ideally once a month, but remember checking your breasts is a skill and like any other skill takes practice to get good at it.

There are many different signs to look out for, not just lumps, such as irritation or dimpling of the skin on the breast or flaky skin in the nipple area, to name just a couple. If you notice any unusual changes, it’s important to contact your GP as soon as possible. According to the research, over a third (38 per cent) wouldn’t want to waste their doctors time if it isn’t breast cancer – but please take it from me, that your doctor wants to see you.”

The research also uncovered that many LGBTQIA+, Black and South Asian women believe there is a stigma in their community around speaking about breast cancer as it just isn’t talked about; and, say there is a lack of representation in self-check resources. 82 per cent believe there needs to be better access to tools and resources that feature a more diverse range of people in order to highlight that breast cancer can affect every body. The ELC UK & Ireland recognises that breast cancer is a diverse disease and to encourage men and women to be aware of their breast health they have updated their self-check leaflet to feature a diverse range of breast shapes, sizes and skin tones.

Leanne Pero, breast cancer survivor and founder of Black Women Rising, comments on the research: “It worries me that this new research reveals that a fifth of women in Black and South Asian communities wrongly believe that breast cancer only affects white middle-aged women. Whilst Black women are less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, they are more likely to develop aggressive, more advanced stage breast cancer that is diagnosed at a young age and therefore they are more likely to die from the disease. I am living proof that you can survive breast cancer if you act early. I want to encourage all women, regardless of their age and ethnicity to prioritise their breast health and take action if they suspect something isn’t right.”

The study shows there are also many misconceptions around who is at risk of breast cancer with a third of all women believing you can only get breast cancer in your 50s and just under a third thinking they are too ‘flat-chested’ to be affected.

Lauren Mahon, breast cancer survivor, founder of Girl vs. Cancer and co-host of You, Me and the Big C, says: “It’s incredibly important for younger women to realise they’re not immune from breast cancer; it’s not just a disease that affects women at a later life stage. For me it's vital that women understand that even those with small boobs like me are at risk of breast cancer too. I was only 31 when I was diagnosed with a grade 3 tumour which I found by accident, I wasn't self-examining at all. In my mind I believed you have to have a significant amount of breast tissue to get cancer. It's terrifying to see that the research found that a quarter of young women are not checking their breasts and a third think their breasts aren’t big enough to get cancer. Knowing from first-hand experience the importance of early diagnosis, I urge women of all ages to check their breasts regularly to know what’s normal for them. It's not about looking for cancer; it's knowing what's normal for your body. So if something should change, it's off to the GP you go!”

Time to Unite

At 7.00pm on Wednesday 20th October, ELC UK & Ireland will hold its second Time to Unite event to connect, unite and empower every body to come together. The research revealed that 80% of women want everybody to come together and unite to help end breast cancer and the event aims to be the world’s largest virtual self-check. Elizabeth Hurley, longstanding Global Ambassador for The Breast Cancer Campaign, will be joined by Alesha Dixon, Artist and TV presenter; Victoria Derbyshire, broadcaster and breast cancer survivor; Leanne Pero; Lauren Mahon; Dr Zoe Williams, who will be conducting a step-by-step self-check demonstration; plus, a host of inspirational women who will share their stories and empower every body to regularly self-check, so that breast cancer can be caught earlier to improve survival.

The Estée Lauder Companies has been a leader in the global breast cancer movement since Evelyn H. Lauder co-created the Pink Ribbon and started The Campaign in 1992. Now more than ever, The Estée Lauder Companies champions the wellbeing of the global breast cancer community and will continue to drive funds and inspire action. The Campaign has raised more than $99 million globally for lifesaving research, education, and medical services, with more than $80 million funding 321 medical research grants through the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF). It’s #TimeToEndBreastCancer.

-Ends-

For further information, please contact:

Maria Allen: [email protected]

Anna Bartle: [email protected]

References

Unless otherwise stated, all statistics are from a survey carried out by One Poll on behalf of The Estée Lauder Companies’ UK & Ireland Breast Cancer Campaign amongst 2,000 – 2,142 people in the UK who identify as women aged 18 plus between 17^th September and 27^th September 2021
World Health Organization, 2021
Breast Cancer Now, Cancer Research UK and the NHS all advise on regular checking, being breast aware and getting used to how your breasts feel at different times of the month

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Research

*1 in 7 women in the UK develop breast cancer during their lifetime and in 2017, there were around 54,700 women and 390 men diagnosed with breast cancer^**. As such, the research by OnePoll surveyed 2,000 – 2,142 people in the UK who identify as women as this is the largest group that is at risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. It is important to note that men, including people who identify as men and those transitioning away from female, can also get breast cancer. Breast Cancer Now, Cancer Research UK and the NHS all advise on regular checking, being breast aware and getting used to how your breasts feel at different times of the month³.

**Risk Factors: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer/risks-causes/risk-factors (accessed 6 October 2021)