Minority Women's Health

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Breast Cancer

Minority Women's Health > Hispanic Americans/Latinas > Health Topics > Breast Cancer

• Resources in English
• Recursos en español

Women get breast cancer when cells in the breast don't grow right and a tumor forms. Getting a mammogram (x-ray of the breast) can help find the cancer early. This gives a woman more treatment options and makes it more likely she will survive the cancer.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic/Latina women. Despite recent increases in screening rates, breast cancer still tends to be diagnosed at a later stage, when treatment options are more limited. Uninsured Hispanic/Latina women are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage.

We do not know how to prevent breast cancer. But there are things you can do to reduce your risk, such as keeping a healthy weight and limiting how much alcohol you drink.

There are things you can do to find breast cancer early:

• Get a mammogram. It is the best way to find out if you have breast cancer. A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast. It can find breast cancer that is too small for you or your doctor to feel. All women, starting at age 40, should get a mammogram every one to two years. Talk to your doctor about how often you need a mammogram. If your mother or sister had breast cancer, you may need to start getting mammograms earlier.

• A breast self-exam and a clinical breast exam are not substitutes for mammograms.

  Get a clinical breast exam. This is a breast exam done by your doctor or nurse. She or he will check your breasts and underarms for any lumps, nipple discharge, or other changes. The breast exam should be part of a routine check up.
• Get to know your breasts. You may do monthly breast self-exams to check for any changes in your breasts. If you find a change, see your doctor right away.

Resources in English

Publications

1.   Hispanic Breast Cancer Differences Persist with Equal Access to Care - This publication discusses the results from a study published on April 9th, 2007 that found that despite equal access to health care services, differences persist in the size, stage, and grade of breast cancer for Hispanic women compared with non-Hispanic white (NHW) women.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/breast/hispanic-differences0407

2.   Screening Mammograms: Questions and Answers - This fact sheet explains how screening mammograms differ from diagnostic mammograms and explains in clear language the benefits and limitations of screening mammography. This also gives the National Cancer Institute's recommendations for when a woman should begin and how frequently she should continue having screening mammograms.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/screening-mammograms

3.   Understanding Breast Changes: A Health Guide for all Women - This booklet explains how doctors distinguish breast lumps and other normal breast changes that often occur and are confused with breast cancer. It encourages women to get regular screening mammograms and clinical breast exams.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understanding-breast-changes/allpages

4.   What You Need To Know About™ Breast Cancer - This booklet provides valuable information about breast cancer. It discusses possible causes, screening, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Additionally, this booklet offers women with breast cancer information on how to cope with the disease.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/breast

5.   Breast Cancer Racial and Ethnic Differences (Copyright © Susan G. Komen Foundation) - Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in the United States. It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among nearly every racial and ethnic group, including African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latina women. The rates of developing and dying from the disease differ among ethnic groups, and this publication discusses these differences.

   http://cms.komen.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/komen_document/spbcethnic.pdf...

6.   Caregivers of Women Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer (Copyright © Cancercare) - This booklet discusses how to help your loved one with metastatic breast cancer while taking care of yourself, and how to get the support you need in your role as a caregiver.

   http://www.cancercare.org/pdf/booklets/ccc_met_bc_caregivers.pdf

7. Facts and Statistics About Breast Cancer in the United States: Year 2008 (Copyright © NBCC) - This fact sheet identifies trends and highlights important statistics on the occurrence of breast cancer in the United States for the year 2008.

   http://www.stopbreastcancer.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=493&Itemid=178...

Organizations

1.   Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, OPHS, HHS
2.   Cancer.gov
3.   National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, NCCDPHP, CDC
4. American Cancer Society
5. Intercultural Cancer Council
6. National Alliance for Hispanic Health

= Indicates Federal Resources

Recursos en español

Publicaciones

1.   Las primeras etapas del cáncer del seno: ¿Cuáles son sus opciones si tiene que operarse? - Este libreto/libro está escrito para la mujer que tiene un estado inicial de cáncer del seno. Describe los tipos de cirugía que se usan para el tratamiento de este tipo de cáncer.

   http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/las-primeras-etapas-del-cancer-de-seno/allpages

2.   Lo que usted necesita saber sobre el cáncer de seno - Este folleto contiene informacion sobre el cáncer de seno, los síntomas, el tratamiento, la diagnosis, y preguntas para el cuidado medico. También incluye un glosario de términos sobre el cáncer de seno y otros recursos.

   http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/sabersobre/seno

3.   Mamografías selectivas de detección: preguntas y respuestas - Esta hoja de datos contiene información sobre mamografía selectiva de detección y mamografía de diagnóstico. También ofrece datos sobre el cáncer del seno y los factores de riesgo.

   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/screening-mammograms-spanish...

4. ¿Es el cáncer del seno distinto en mujeres de raza blanca que en mujeres hispanas/latinas? (Copyright © ACS) - Esta publicación discute los un estudio que concluyó que el cáncer del seno parece manifestarse de forma distinta entre mujeres hispanas o latinas, a comparación de cómo se manifiesta esta enfermedad entre mujeres de raza blanca.

   http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Es_el_cncer_del_seno_distinto_en_mujeres_de_raza_blanca_...

Organizaciones

1.   Administración de Drogas y Alimentos
2.   Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, OPHS, HHS en español
3.   Cancer.gov en Español
4.   Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, HHS
5. Sociedad Americana del Cáncer

= Recurso Federal

Current as of December 2007