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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so every year the world turns pink to remember the women lost and to celebrate the survivors. For me, it is a quiet month of reflection and thanks for my mother. She is a breast cancer survivor with no sign of cancer for ten years now. Thankfully, she had been having her mammograms every year, so it was caught at the very earliest stage when she was 46 years old. As a busy eighth-grader at the time, I didn't fully understand the strength my mother displayed. She had surgery and several months of radiation without missing a motherly beat. Now that I can look back at that time, I can relate to the fear, and the hope, of women and families going through a breast cancer diagnosis. The experience also made me realize the importance of spreading the word about early detection.
Breast cancer is caused when cells mutate and grow too fast. In 2007, there were more than 200,000 cases of breast cancer. 40,460 women lost their lives that year to breast cancer. It is the second biggest killer for women. There are many risk factors, but we don't yet know why cells turn into cancer. While risk factors may help predict women that may get cancer, there are many women with breast cancer that had no risk factors at all and many women with lots of risk factors that do not get cancer. The main risk factors are age over 55 years old, family history, starting a period before age 12, not having children before age 30, chest radiation, hormone therapy, not breast feeding, and obesity. Your doctor can also help you determine if you are at high risk for getting breast cancer.
The easiest way to check for breast cancer or lumps is the breast self exam. This mostly helps the woman to know what her breasts are normally like and whether there have been any
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changes. They can be done any time, on a regular basis or not. The doctor should also do a clinical breast exam every year for women over age 40. This can also help women realize what their breasts normally feel like.
The best way to detect breast cancer early is the mammogram. It is recommended for women over age 40 to have a mammogram every year. Some women with a family history of breast cancer may start having them earlier than age 40. While they may sound like awful procedures, they only take about 20 seconds and are only mildly uncomfortable. Mammograms are recommended so often because they can catch cancer very early. If breast cancer is caught very early before it travels, 98% of those women will survive for 5 years. However, if it is not diagnosed until it has spread, only 27% of those women will survive for 5 years. Early detection is the most important way to prevent death from breast cancer.
Remember, men can get breast cancer too! While it is a rare cancer, the number of men has been increasing each year. Mammograms are not recommended for men, but they should report any breast changes to their doctor immediately.
Remember those women (and men) touched by breast cancer this October by wearing a pink ribbon. With hope and teamwork, we'll find the cure!
For more information, visit the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or Susan G. Komen for the Cure at ww5.komen.org/.
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