Breast Cancer

Anyone can get breast cancer. In the UK, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed (Cancer Research UK, 2020). We know that the earlier cancer is diagnosed the likelihood of a positive prognosis increases. However for autistic people, healthcare barriers including presenting initial symptoms to a GP or attending screening visits are reduced, resulting in an increase in late presentations (Doherty et al., 2022).

The treatment process for breast cancer is long, often taking many months. It involves frequent visits to the hospital to undergo treatment, procedures and to attend appointments with a variety of healthcare professionals. The treatment for breast cancer commonly involves surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy although it will be dependent on the type and stage of breast cancer and can include targeted therapy and hormone therapy.