Westminster Life: Why breast cancer awareness still matters

Breast cancer remains the most common form of cancer, with almost 60,000 people diagnosed each year. Around one in seven women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Yet, research from Breast Cancer Now highlights a worrying gap in awareness, with nearly a third of women who regularly check their breasts lacking the confidence to recognise a change. Almost one in ten check less than once a month because they are unsure what to look for, while one in five UK adults do not feel confident finding trustworthy information about breast cancer. These figures are deeply concerning, but there are also real reasons for hope.

The 10-year breast cancer survival rate has risen from around 42% in the 1970s to 77% today, reflecting decades of progress in research, diagnosis and treatment. In England, breast screening uptake reached 71% in 2024/25. Given that a significant proportion of breast cancer cases are considered preventable, raising awareness, encouraging early diagnosis and improving access to screening remain vital.

There has also been welcome progress in treatment. This year, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved the life-extending drug Enhertu for use in the NHS for patients with some forms of breast cancer, potentially giving around 1,000 patients with incurable breast cancer access to this important treatment each year. This is a significant step forward and a testament to the determination of the campaigners, charities and patients who have fought to make it possible.

I also welcome the Labour Government's emphasis on better data and outcomes through its 10 Year Health Plan and National Cancer Plan. Plans to improve the identification and monitoring of recurrent cancers, beginning with metastatic breast cancer, alongside ambitions to save 320,000 more lives and ensure more patients are living well or cancer-free five years after diagnosis, represent important steps towards better cancer care. The commitment to meeting all NHS cancer waiting time standards by 2029 is equally important.

Cancer continues to have a profound impact on families across North West Cambridgeshire and the country as a whole. But progress in research, treatment and early diagnosis offers genuine hope, not only to those living with breast cancer today, but also to those who may face it in the future.

That is why events like the one at Hampton Pharmacy matter. By raising funds, improving awareness and encouraging people to seek advice when they notice changes, local communities can play a vital role in the fight against breast cancer.