Breast cancer in Australia: the signs to look for, when to see your GP, and how free screening works

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Australia. About 56 people in Australia are diagnosed each day, which is more than 20,000 people a year. Around 1 in 7 women and around 1 in 600 men will be diagnosed at some point in their lives.^1,2

The outlook has changed substantially. Five-year relative survival now sits at 93%, and the death rate from breast cancer in Australia has fallen by more than 40% since 1994.² For women aged 50 to 74, the group the national screening program actively targets, the breast cancer death rate has fallen by almost half since BreastScreen Australia began in 1991.³

Alongside that, more than 3,300 people in Australia still die from breast cancer each year, including 40 men.²

How common breast cancer is in Australia

Age is the single largest factor in who is diagnosed. About 80% of breast cancer cases occur in women over the age of 50.² Getting older and being born female are the two biggest risk factors.⁶

Breast cancer does still occur in younger women. Around 1,000 women aged under 40 are diagnosed each year in Australia, which is about three a day, and approximately one woman under 40 is expected to die from breast cancer each week.²

The number of cases diagnosed each year has risen considerably over three decades, from about 9,800 new cases a year in 1994 to more than 20,000 a year in 2025, with diagnoses increasing by around 15% in the last ten years.² There are now more than 160,000 people living in Australia who were diagnosed with breast cancer in the last decade.²

Breast cancer in men

Men have breast tissue and can develop breast cancer. Around 1 in 600 men are diagnosed in their lifetime, and 40 men in Australia die from breast cancer each year.² The national screening program is designed for women and for people with breast tissue suitable for screening, so it is not a route to assessment for most men. Any man who notices a lump, a change to the nipple, or a change to the skin of the chest should see a doctor about it.

Signs of breast cancer: what to look for and what to feel for

Every set of breasts is different. Breasts differ in size, shape and colour, and knowing what is usual for you is what makes a change easier to notice.⁵

Look for

• A change in the size or shape of the breast^4,5
• A change to the nipple, such as crusting, a sore or an ulcer, redness, or a nipple that turns inwards when it used to point out^4,5
• Nipple discharge that happens without squeezing, which may include blood^4,5
• A change to the skin of the breast, such as dimpling that can look like the surface of an orange, a rash, a scaly appearance, or unusual redness or other colour change^4,5

Feel for

• A new lump, lumpiness or thickening, particularly if it is in one breast only^4,5
• Unusual pain in the breast or armpit that does not go away^4,5
• Swelling or discomfort in the armpit⁴

Most breast changes are not caused by cancer, and all of the changes listed above can be caused by other medical conditions. That is why it is best to have any noticeable change checked, to give you peace of mind.⁴

When to see your GP

If you notice any of the changes above, see your doctor without delay so they can properly investigate.⁴ Do not wait for your next scheduled breast screen.

This distinction matters most, and it is the one most easily missed. BreastScreen services are for people who have no symptoms. If you have noticed a breast change, BreastScreen NSW recommends seeing your GP rather than booking a screening appointment, because your doctor can assess the symptom and arrange any needed tests straight away.⁵

At that appointment, your doctor may examine your breasts and may request diagnostic tests such as imaging or an ultrasound of your breasts.⁵ Diagnostic imaging of this kind is a different pathway from screening. It is arranged on referral, it is directed at the specific change you have noticed, and depending on where it is done, there may be an out-of-pocket cost.¹¹

Family history

Most breast cancers are not caused by known genetic factors, and most women who develop breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. Around 5% of breast cancers are due to a strong family history or a genetic change such as BRCA1 or BRCA2.⁶

Where family history does matter, it can change the screening recommendation. BreastScreen NSW advises that an annual breast screen from age 40 may be recommended if you have a close blood relative such as a parent, sibling or child who was diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50, if BreastScreen assesses you as needing more frequent monitoring, or if your doctor assesses you as being at high risk. Where a blood relative was diagnosed after the age of 50 and there are no other contributing factors, the risk is similar to that of the general population and screening every two years applies.⁶ If you are unsure which of those describes you, that is a conversation to have with your GP.

Free breast screening in Australia

BreastScreen Australia was established in 1991 and is a joint program of the Australian, state and territory governments. It provides free screening mammograms every two years to women aged 40 and over, and actively targets women aged 50 to 74.⁷ Bookings are made directly on 13 20 50 or online through the service in your state. A doctor’s referral is not required.^10,11

Participation has been broadly stable. Over 2023 and 2024, more than 1.9 million participants aged 50 to 74 were screened, which is 52% of the eligible population in that age group.⁷

New South Wales

The recommended screening age is 50 to 74, and invitations to screen every two years begin at age 50. Women in their 40s are eligible and welcome to attend, with the advice to speak to a doctor first about personal risk. Women aged 75 and over remain eligible but no longer receive invitations, and can book directly. Women under 40 are not eligible, partly because higher breast density in that age group makes small cancers harder to see on the image.⁸ BreastScreen NSW recommends that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women screen from age 40.⁹

Victoria

BreastScreen Victoria offers free screening to eligible Victorians aged 40 and over, and invites women aged 50 to 74 by letter to screen every two years. People aged 40 to 49 and 75 and over are eligible but do not receive invitations and are encouraged to discuss screening with their doctor first.¹⁰

Queensland

BreastScreen Queensland invites women aged 50 to 74 without symptoms to screen every two years. Women aged 40 to 49 and 75 and over are also eligible for free screening, and are encouraged to talk to their doctor first about whether screening is right for them. BreastScreen Queensland does not provide diagnostic mammograms for women with symptoms, who are referred for diagnostic imaging outside the program.¹¹

What happens at a breast screen

The appointment takes around 20 minutes. Radiographers are female. Two images are usually taken of each breast, and for each image the machine compresses the breast firmly for 10 to 15 seconds. Discomfort during compression is common and brief, and you can tell the radiographer at any time to stop.³ All screenings are free.

What screening does, and what it does not do

A screening mammogram can find cancers the size of a grain of rice before you or your doctor can feel or notice them. For women aged 50 to 74, regular breast screening is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early, and where it is found early, it is likely to be small, less likely to require a mastectomy, and more likely to be treated successfully.³

It is also worth knowing the limits, because they change what you do between appointments.

• Screening is not perfect. A breast screen can appear normal when a cancer is present, and a small number of women develop breast cancer in between their regular screens.³ That is why a new change is worth seeing your GP about, even if your last screen was clear.
• Being called back does not mean cancer. Around 90% of women called back for further tests do not have breast cancer, and those further tests are also free.³
• Overdiagnosis. Most breast cancers found through screening would grow and become harmful if they were not treated. Some would not. It is not possible to tell from the appearance on a breast screen which is which, so some cancers are found and treated that would never have caused harm.³
• Radiation. A breast screen involves a small amount of radiation, described by BreastScreen NSW as about the same as the background radiation a person is exposed to over 18 weeks of ordinary activity.³
• Dense breasts. Breast density is one of several risk factors and can make cancers harder to see. BreastScreen NSW states that screening remains the most effective way of reducing deaths from breast cancer across the population of women over 50, including women with dense breasts.³
• Breast implants. Most women with breast implants can have regular breast screens. Tell the service when you book and again at the appointment.³

Things that influence risk

Some risk factors cannot be changed: age, family history, inherited genetic factors, medical history including previous radiation therapy or cancer, reproductive history, and breast density.⁶ BreastScreen NSW estimates that around a quarter of all breast cancers could potentially be prevented through changes to modifiable factors.⁶

The modifiable factors it identifies are body weight, alcohol intake, physical activity, and the use of some medicines including menopausal hormone therapy and the combined oral contraceptive pill. Breastfeeding is associated with reduced risk, and the longer the duration the greater the association. Smoking may be associated with increased risk.⁶ Having one or more risk factors does not mean a person will develop breast cancer, and individual risk depends on all of these factors together.⁶ If you want to understand your own risk, your GP can work through it with you.

What to do next

If you have noticed a change in your breasts, book an appointment with your GP rather than with a screening service. Your doctor can examine the change and arrange any tests needed.⁵

If you are aged 50 to 74 and have no symptoms, you are eligible for a free screening mammogram every two years. Call 13 20 50 or book online through your state’s BreastScreen service.⁷

If you are in your 40s, over 75, or have a family history, you are still eligible for free screening, and the recommendation across all three states is to talk to your doctor first about whether screening is right for you.^8,10,11

Book an appointment at your nearest Qualitas Medical Practice A GP appointment is the starting point for a breast change you have noticed, for a question about what your family history means for you, and for working out whether screening applies at your age. Your doctor can examine the change, arrange the imaging or further tests needed, and refer you where that is the right step. Find your nearest practice and book online today.

Find A Practice

This article is general information only. It is not a substitute for personal medical advice. If you have concerns about your breast health or about whether screening is right for you, speak with your GP.

References

1. National Breast Cancer Foundation. About Breast Cancer. nbcf.org.au/about-breast-cancer/ Accessed 21 September 2026.

2. National Breast Cancer Foundation. Breast Cancer Stats. Last updated June 2026. nbcf.org.au/about-breast-cancer/breast-cancer-stats/ Accessed 21 September 2026.

3. BreastScreen NSW. Screening benefits and concerns. breastscreen.nsw.gov.au/breast-cancer-and-screening/screening-benefits-and-concerns/ Accessed 21 September 2026.

4. National Breast Cancer Foundation. Breast Cancer Symptoms. Last updated February 2026. nbcf.org.au/about-breast-cancer/detection-and-awareness/breast-cancer-symptoms/ Accessed 21 September 2026.

5. BreastScreen NSW. Signs and symptoms of breast cancer. breastscreen.nsw.gov.au/breast-cancer-and-screening/signs-and-symptoms-of-breast-cancer/ Accessed 21 September 2026.

6. BreastScreen NSW. Risk factors for breast cancer. breastscreen.nsw.gov.au/breast-cancer-and-screening/risk-factors-for-breast-cancer/ Accessed 21 September 2026.

7. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. BreastScreen Australia monitoring report 2025. Cat. no. CAN 165. Canberra: AIHW, 2025.

8. BreastScreen NSW. Eligibility. breastscreen.nsw.gov.au/breast-cancer-and-screening/eligibility/ Accessed 21 September 2026.

9. BreastScreen NSW. Home page. breastscreen.nsw.gov.au. Accessed 21 September 2026.

10. Better Health Channel, Victorian Department of Health. Breast screening. betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/breast-screening

11. BreastScreen Queensland. When should you recommend BreastScreen Queensland to a patient? Last updated July 2026. breastscreen.qld.gov.au/health-professionals/when-to-recommend-breast-screening