Charity estimates at least 300 women in Wales could be living with undiagnosed breast cancer due to paused screenings
A leading cancer charity estimates that there could be at least 300 women living in Wales with undiagnosed breast cancer as a result of suspended screenings.
Tenovus Cancer Care are among the charities reminding people that because of this, "it has never been more important" to self-check your breasts.
Many routine cancer screenings and diagnostic tests were paused during the pandemic so resources could be focussed on tackling coronavirus and to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus.
Across the UK it is believed that one million women missed potentially lifesaving breast screenings.
These shocking figures come at the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, running throughout October 2020.
Judi Rhys, Tenovus Cancer Care Chief Executive, said they "know that in Wales, more than 300 women may currently have undiagnosed breast cancer" because of the suspension of routine mammograms.
She added: "The message is clear, it has never been more important to check your breasts.
"By making your self-check-up part of your normal routine, you'll catch any changes quickly. It is vital that people do not delay in getting any new potentially cancerous symptoms checked out immediately."
Tenovus now want focus to put on catching up with the 'pent-up', backlog of people waiting for routine services that they may have missed.
Another cancer charity, Breast Cancer UK, are also reminding people of the importance of checking your own breasts.
As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they have released a video animation explaining what signs and symptoms people should look out for when self-examining.
Breast Cancer UK have also launched their '25 Saves Lives' campaign as part of the month. This encourages people to live healthier lifestyles to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.
They say that more than 25% of breast cancer cases are preventable and keeping fit can play a significant part in reducing the risk of developing the disease.
Breast Cancer UK's Chief Executive, Thalie Martini emphasised how important exercise can be as "women can reduce their risk of getting breast cancer by around 20%" just through "a moderate exercise regime".
She added: "And those with breast cancer who are highly physically active have a 40% lower risk of death and a 20-30% lower risk of recurrence of breast cancer, compared to those who do little or none."
Both men and women can develop breast cancer and different people can experience different symptoms. However some of the signs to look out for in your breast area are:
Lumps
Swelling
Irritations or dimpling
Redness
The nipple turning inwards
Change in size or shape
Discharge from the nipple
Pain
Breast Cancer Now have a free helpline that woman can call with any questions about breast cancer. You can access this on 0808 800 6000. You can also find more help and advice on their website.