You’ve probably been seeing a little extra pink this past month, huh? That’s because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign by major breast cancer organizations to increase awareness of the disease. This includes educating the public about early detection, the cause, diagnosis, treatment, and support for survivors.
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer, and second-most common cause of cancer death in the United States. The lifetime risk for breast cancer in the U.S is 1 in 8, or 12%. The fact that this horrible disease is still so common is why the pink ribbons you see around in October touch so many people’s lives.
The awareness part of the campaign this month places an emphasis on early detection. Advancements in drug treatments, chemotherapy and other medical treatments have improved over the years thanks to money raised to fight this disease, but the Cancer Society still stress that early detection helps fight breast cancer more than other treatment method. While not every lump is cancerous, your chances of getting breast cancer increase once you’re fifty. So think of your breasts and get regular mammograms every two years once you turn 50.
Most women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors other than simply being a woman and getting older (especially being over 50). Talk to your doctor about your risk.
Other risk factors for breast cancer include (Info from National Breast Cancer Fondation):
- having had breast cancer before
- family history of breast cancer (especially in a mother, sister or daughter diagnosed before menopause or if mutations on BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are present)
- family history of ovarian cancer
- an above-average exposure to the hormone estrogen, which your body naturally produces, perhaps because you:
- have never given birth or gave birth for the first time after age 30
- began menstruating at a young age
- reached menopause later than average
- have taken hormone replacement therapy (estrogen plus progestin) for more than five years
- dense breast tissue (as shown on a mammogram)
- a history of breast biopsies showing certain breast changes, such as an increased number of abnormal cells that are not cancerous (atypical hyperplasia)
- radiation treatment to the chest area (for example, to treat Hodgkin lymphoma), especially before age 30
Some factors slightly increase your risk of breast cancer. You may be at slightly higher risk if you:
- are obese (especially after menopause)
- drink alcohol
- take birth control pills (the Pill)
Some women develop breast cancer without having any of these risk factors. Most women with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease.
Visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation for more information on how you can reduce risk factors and help contribute to this fight against this disease that has touched so many of our friends and family.
Image via http://www.mountsinai.org
