HEALTHNOTES: No breast checks for one in three women, new survey claims

A third of British women do not regularly check their breasts for signs of cancer, a survey suggests.

And a quarter of those polled said they were not confident that they could spot the tell-tale symptoms.

The NHS recommends that women see their GP if they notice a change in size or shape of their breasts, a difference in the feel of the skin, a new lump or swelling, discharge from either nipple, a change in nipple position, a fresh rash or any discomfort or pain.

The survey of 1,000 women, carried out by beauty brand Avon, found that those aged between 18 and 24 were least confident at carrying out self-examinations compared with other age groups.

Some 56,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and the condition affects roughly one in seven women during their lifetime.

Octopus suckers could be the key to an injection-free method of delivering drugs. Researchers at Zurich University have developed a penny-sized rubber patch which mimics the animal’s suction pads to sit on the inside of the cheeks. Medication in the patch is then absorbed into the bloodstream. After successful animal studies, patients are now being recruited for a clinical trial. Studies estimate that as many as ten per cent of Britons have a phobia of needles.

More than a third of people in the UK have not discussed end-of-life plans with their family, a poll suggests. The survey found that three-quarters had not written a will while only a fifth had organised legal papers such as a lasting power of attorney, in case they lost the mental ability to make their own decisions. The survey of 2,000 adults by finance firm Legal and General also suggests 85 per cent of people had not written any funeral instructions. Spokesman Paula Llewellyn said: ‘Open conversations about death are crucial towards securing your loved ones’ financial wellbeing.’