Introduction
- October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we would like to tell you a little bit about the importance of early detection.
- Because about one in eight women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point, it is imperative that we raise awareness about this condition
- The good news is that most women survive breast cancer if it is found and treated early
- Screening refers to tests and exams used to find a disease in people who do not have any symptoms.
- Early detection means finding and diagnosing a disease earlier than if you’d waited for symptoms to start
- According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, when breast cancer is detected early and hasn’t spread to anywhere else in the body, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99 percent.
- That’s why being proactive about your health through early detection is so important
Fast Facts About Breast Cancer
- Each year in the United States, about 264,000 women get breast cancer and 42,000 women die from the disease.
- Men also get breast cancerbut it is not very common. About 1 out of every 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the United States is found in a man.
- Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older, but breast cancer also affects younger women
Why do we need cancer awareness?
- We need cancer awareness because not only it removes the stigma and fear attached to the condition
- But also helps people recognize the early signs and symptoms of cancer, thus enabling them to seek treatment at an early stage
Why is Breast Cancer Awareness so Important?
- Awareness surrounding breast cancer is incredibly important as early detection, often through screening, can catch the disease when it is most treatable.
- It is all the more important because per the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers
Self-exams
- Screening and early detection includes doing monthly breast self-exams and scheduling regular clinical breast exams and mammograms.
- Women should be familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel.
- They should immediately report any changes to their doctor
- It’s important that women of all ages regularly perform their own breast exams. While administering your BSE you may discover a new lump earlier than when your annual mammography may be due.
- If so, you can reach out to your health care provider as soon as possible
Mammograms
- The American Cancer Society recommends annual screening mammograms for women starting at age 40 and continuing as long as they are in good health. Usually up to 74 years old.
- But your doctor might want you to have a screening earlier if you have a mother or sister with breast cancer.
- Mammograms are essential, important, and potentially life-saving.
- Talk with your doctor about when to start mammography screening sooner than later.
