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Home > Consumer Focus Archive > October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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Consumer Focus: October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month |
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October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
 Breast cancer remains a significant health concern for women in the United States. and throughout the world. In the U.S., it is the most common form of cancer in women. After lung cancer, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women. In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, FCIC has brought together some resources surrounding this health issue.
Posted: October 5, 2006
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Fast Facts
 According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), it is estimated that about 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. The exact causes of breast cancer are not known. However, studies show that the risk of breast cancer increases as a woman gets older. This disease is very uncommon in women under the age of 35. Most breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50, and the risk is especially high for women over age 60. Also, breast cancer occurs more often in white women than African American or Asian women.
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 Early Detection Is a Woman's Best Defense
The best defense is early detection with regular mammograms and manual breast self-examinations, which have raised survival rates. Women who are at average risk of developing breast cancer and who do not have a significant family history of breast cancer should have a mammogram and clinical breast examination by a health care provider every year. These annual mammograms and exams are very important to finding breast cancer at the earliest opportunity, when treatments can be most successful and chances of survival are best. There are three main tests used to screen for breast cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider about which tests are right for you, and when you should have them.
- Mammogram – A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms. Women in their 40s and older should have mammograms every 1 to 2 years. Women who are younger than 40 and have risk factors for breast cancer should ask their healthcare provider whether to have mammograms and how often to have them.
- Clinical breast exam – A clinical breast exam is an examination by a healthcare provider who looks for differences in size or shape between your breasts, and checks for any rash, dimpling, or other abnormal signs.
- Breast self-exam – You may perform monthly breast self-exams to check for any changes in your breasts. It is important to remember that changes can occur because of aging, your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause, or taking birth control pills or other hormones. Breast self-exams cannot replace regular screening mammograms and clinical breast exams.
Note: Mammograms (as well as dental x-rays, and other routine x-rays) use very small doses of radiation. The risk of any harm is very slight, but repeated x-rays could cause problems. The benefits nearly always outweigh the risk. You should talk with your health care provider about the need for each x-ray. You should also ask for shields to protect parts of your body that are not in the picture.
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 New Technologies Improve Treatment
Different types of treatment are available for patients with breast cancer. There are four types of standard treatments used: surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy. Tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen medication that appears to block estrogen's effect on breast tissue, has been used for several years to prevent recurrent breast cancer and to treat women with advanced stages of the disease.
- Local therapy: Surgery and radiation therapy are local treatments. They remove or destroy cancer in the breast. When breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body, local therapy may be used to control the disease in those specific areas.
- Systemic therapy: Chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and biological therapy are systemic treatments. They enter the bloodstream and destroy or control cancer throughout the body. Some women with breast cancer have systemic therapy to shrink the tumor before surgery or radiation. Others have systemic therapy after surgery and/or radiation to prevent the cancer from coming back. Systemic treatments also are used for cancer that has spread.
Note: Because cancer treatments often damage healthy cells and tissues, side effects are common. Side effects depend mainly on the type and extent of the treatment. Side effects may not be the same for each woman, and they may change from one treatment session to the next.
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 Risk Factors
No one knows the exact causes of breast cancer but some women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop cancer. Below are some of the risk factors you should keep in mind.
- Age. The chance of getting breast cancer increases as a woman gets older - most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 60. Breast cancer is not common before menopause.
- Personal history of breast cancer. A woman who has had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in the other breast.
- Family history. A woman's risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer. The risk is higher if her family member got breast cancer before age 40. Having other relatives with breast cancer (in either her mother's or father's family) may also increase a woman's risk.
- Certain breast changes. Some women have cells in the tissue that look abnormal under a microscope. Having certain types of abnormal cells increases the risk of breast cancer.
- Race. Breast cancer is diagnosed more often in white women than Latina, Asian, or African-American women.
- Being overweight or obese after menopause. The chance of getting breast cancer after menopause is higher in women who are overweight or obese.
Note: If you think you may be at risk, you should discuss this concern with your doctor. Your doctor may be able to suggest ways to reduce your risk and can plan a schedule for checkups.
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 Reduce Your Risk
Many risk factors can be avoided. Others, such as family history, cannot be avoided. Women can help protect themselves by staying away from known risk factors whenever possible. Here are a few things to keep in mind to reduce your risk of breast cancer:
For children and adolescents, regular physical activity has beneficial effects on the following aspects of health:
- Exercise and control your weight. Make healthy choices in the foods you eat and the kinds of drinks you have each day. Be sure to stay active!
- Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
- Know your family history. If you have a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer, ask your doctor what your risk of getting breast cancer is and how you can lower your risk.
- Find out the risk and benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Some women use HRT to treat the symptoms of menopause. Ask your doctor about the risks and benefits of HRT and find out if it’s right for you.
- Get screened for breast cancer regularly. By getting the necessary exams, you can increase your chances of finding out early on, if you have breast cancer.
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Other Resources
This is just a brief overview. For more information, check out these resources:
Read these publications online or order them from FCIC.
- Publications available for ordering from our Health Page
Websites*:
Resources In Other Languages*:
* Names of resources and organizations
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and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by
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mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory.
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us before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible
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