by Janet Hackert, Regional Nutrition and Health Education Specialist
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Most people know of someone who has had breast cancer. Here are a few facts that may be surprising and some measures to either know that there is no breast cancer or catch it early when it is more effectively treatable.
It is known that breast cancer is hereditary. So if a woman’s mother, sister, aunt or grandmother has had it, she should be more careful about watching for it. But according to the American Cancer Society, "only 20-30% of women with breast cancer have a family member with this disease." That means seven or eight out of every 10 women who have it are NOT related to someone who has had it. So either way, early screening is important!
As a woman ages, her risk of developing breast cancer increases. "Nearly eight out of 10 breast cancers occur in women over age 50," says the American Cancer Society. The risk for a woman over 70, developing the disease in the next year is almost double that for a 50 year old.
Though the risk is high, there are some things that can be done. For all women, starting in their 20’s, a monthly breast self exam can help detect changes in the tissue of the breast that may indicate cancer. For instructions on a thorough method for self examination, a woman can ask her doctor or go to the American Cancer Society’s web site at www.cancer.org. She should report any changes to her physician promptly.
Also, for younger women, aged 20-39, a breast exam as part of a well-woman medical check up should be done every three years. For women 40 years old and older, this exam by a doctor or nurse should be completed at least annually.
After 40, women should also have a yearly mammogram. These should continue, "for as long as they are in good health," recommends the American Cancer Society.
When a tumor is detected when it is just under one inch, there is a 94% five-year relative survival rate. For one larger than two inches, the rate goes down to 66%. Breast cancer doesn’t have to be fatal, and detected early, can mean avoiding an extremely difficult medical situation.