Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual campaign for spreading knowledge and awareness of the disease throughout the month of October. About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop breast cancer over the course of their lifetime, and approximately 40,000 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2015 from the disease. As of this year, there are more than 2.8 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S., including women currently being treated as well as women who have finished treatment. The disease is not just limited to women, either, as about 2,350 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2015.

Although these statistics paint a grim picture, there is a light in the black when it comes to breast cancer. Incidence rates in the U.S. began decreasing in 2000, and death rates have been steadily decreasing since 1989, which is thought to be due to advances in treatment as well as increased awareness of the disease. The most important factor in the decrease in incidence rates, though, is early detection through screening.

It is imperative for women to participate in an early screening test. The National Breast Cancer Foundation suggests that when breast cancer is detected early in the localized stage, the five-year survival rate is 100%. There are three main tests used for breast cancer screening, including a mammogram, a clinical breast exam, and a breast self-exam. Your doctor will be able to inform you on which screening test is best for you.

A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast, and is the best way to identify early stages of breast cancer. It is recommended that women ages 50 to 74 get a mammogram every two years.

A clinical breast exam is an examination where a doctor checks a woman’s breast using his or her hands to check for lumps or any other abnormalities. This exam should not be done as a replacement for a mammogram as it is not as effective.

The breast self-exam should be administered once a month by women of all ages to check for a lump or any other changes within the breast. While only a mammogram can detect breast cancer before a lump is formed, it is important to familiarize yourself with your body in order to alert your doctor of any changes. Your doctor can also give you a rundown of how to administer a breast self-exam.

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