Breast Cancer Awareness


*Facts*	*Risks*	*Screening*	*FAQ's*	*Contact*	*Self-Exam*

Every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.
This year 182,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the United States.
One woman in eight who lives to age 85 will develop breast cancer during her lifetime.
More women in the United States get breast cancer than any other type of cancer (except for skin cancer).
The number of cases per 1,000 women has increased slightly every year over the last 50 years. It is the second leading cause of death from cancer in women (lung cancer causes the most deaths from cancer in women).
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55.
While a history of breast cancer in the family may lead to increased risk, most breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history. If you have a family history of breast cancer, this should be discussed with your doctor
Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through breast self-exams. Not all lumps are detectable by touch. We recommend regular mammograms and monthly breast self-exams.
Women's breasts can develop some degree of lumpiness, but only a small percentage of lumps are malignant. Eight out of ten breast lumps are not cancerous. If you find a lump, don't panic-call your doctor for an appointment.
Mammography is a low-dose X-ray examination that can detect breast cancer up to two years before it is large enough to be felt.
When breast cancer is found early, the five-year survival rate is 96%.
Over 2 million breast cancer survivors are alive in the United States today!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it is a matter of fact that, as a woman, breast cancer awareness should be an every month occasion. According to a recent Gallup Poll, 78% of women do not practice the most simple life-saving techniques of monthly breast self-examinations, regular doctor visits and regularly scheduled mammograms. That is an awesome number of women playing Russian Roulette with their lives. This year there will be 182,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer. Of those, 43,300 women will die. A foolish game, when over 70% of all breast cancers are discovered through breast self-examinations and when discovered early enough, the 5-year survival rate is 96%. "Early detection is the best protection." It is the responsibility of women to take charge of their own health care by planning for good health.

Anything that increases a person's chance of developing a disease is called a risk factor. Some of these risk factors for breast cancer are as follows:

Age -
Being a woman is the greatest risk. Age increases risk. Seventy percent of women with breast cancer have no known risk factors. A cure for breast cancer has not yet been discovered, so early detection is the best protection a woman can have. Educate yourself about breast cancer so that you recognize early symptoms.

Breast cancer is more likely to develop as you grow older. Beginning menstruation at an early age and late age at first birth may also increase the risk of development of breast cancer. More than twenty percent of breast cancers are diagnosed in women under the age of 50. At present, one woman in eight either has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. While women over the age of 50 are at a higher risk, younger women should be cautious about observing changes in their breasts and unexplained lumps. The leading cause of death for African-American women, ages 30-54, is breast cancer. African-American women die at twice the rate of white women.

History of Breast Cancer -
If you have already had breast cancer, you are more likely to develop breast cancer again.

Family History -
If your mother or sister had breast cancer, you are more likely to develop breast cancer, especially if they had it at an early age. While women who have a family history of breast cancer are in a higher risk group, most women who have breast cancer have no family history. If you have a mother, daughter, sister, or grandmother who had breast cancer, you should have a mammogram five years before the age of their diagnosis.

Other Breast Diseases -
If you have had a breast biopsy specimen that showed certain types of benign breast conditions, you may be more likely to develop breast cancer. For most women, however, the ordinary "lumpiness" they feel in their breasts does not increase their risk of breast cancer.

A Detection Plan for Every Woman

Clinical breast examinations every three years from ages 20-39, then every year thereafter.
Monthly breast self-examinations beginning at age 20. Look for any changes in your breasts.
Baseline mammogram by the age of 40.
Mammogram every one to two years for women 40-49, depending on previous findings.
Mammogram every year for women 50 and older.
A personal calendar to record your self-exams, mammograms, and doctor appointments.
A low-fat diet, regular exercise, and no smoking or drinking.

Mammogram - A mammogram is a special x-ray of the breast that can often find tumors that are too small for you or your doctor to feel. Your doctor may suggest that you have a mammogram, especially if you have any of the risk factors listed above. The usefulness of mammograms may be different depending on your age. Following is the current information about breast cancer screening with mammography for three age groups of women:

Ages 40-49
Some studies that have been done show that breast cancer screening with mammography reduces the number of deaths from breast cancer in these women. If you are in this age group, talk to your doctor about mammography as a regular part of your health care plan.

Ages 50-69
Many studies have shown that regular breast cancer screening with mammography reduces the number of deaths from breast cancer for women aged 50-69. If you are in this age group, talk to your doctor about mammography as a regular part of your health care plan.

Ages 70 and over
Very few studies give information about how effective breast cancer screening is for women aged 70 and over. However, the risk of breast cancer increases with age, and the age at which screening is no longer useful in reducing death from breast cancer is not known. If you are in this age group, talk to your doctor about mammography as a regular part of your health care plan.

Clinical Breast Examination - During your routine physical examination, your doctor or health care professional may do a clinical breast examination (CBE). During a CBE, your doctor will carefully feel your breasts and under your arms to check for lumps or other unusual changes.

Breast Self-Examination - When you examine your own breasts it is called breast self-examination. Just remember that the self-exam is simply an additional precaution and should not be used in place of clinical breast examination and mammography. Your doctor can talk to you about what types of screening tests would be best for you.

Adapted from information provided by The National Cancer Institute.

Why Do A Breast Self-Exam? - When breast cancer is found early, a woman has more treatment choices and a good chance of a complete recovery. It is, therefore, important that breast cancer be detected as early as possible. Regular self-examination familiarizes a woman to her breasts. Women learn what looks and feels normal for their breasts, and they are more likely to notice a change. Any changes should be reported to your doctor. Most breast lumps are not cancerous, but only a doctor can make the diagnosis.

What Am I Looking For In A Breast Self-Exam - You are looking for a lump or change that stands out as different from the rest of your breast tissue. If you discover a lump or other change in your breast, either during breast self-examination or by chance, you should examine the other breast. If both breasts feel the same, the lumpiness is probably normal. As you become familiar with your breasts by doing breast self-examinations, you should be able to tell the difference between your normal lumpiness and what may be a change. Ask your doctor or health professional to teach you how to do a breast self-exam to make sure you are doing it correctly and thoroughly.

Is There A Right Way To Examine My Breasts? - Yes. There are several proper ways to examine your breasts. Although there are some features of a mass that suggest whether it is likely to be benign or cancerous, women examining their own breasts should discuss any new lump with their doctor.

How Often Should I Do A Self-Exam? - A breast self-exam is recommended every month a few days after your period ends. During this time, your breasts are less tender or swollen. It is important to do your breast self-exam at the same time during your menstrual cycle. Doing so creates a base- line from which to judge abnormalities, and it helps you form a regular habit of self-examining your breasts.

National Women's Health Information Center
1-800-994-9662

A list of organizations and websites that offer information and services for cancer patients and their families is available on
CancerNet at http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/cancerlinks.html.

National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service
1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)
TTY at 1-800-332-8615
Internet Address: http://www.nci.nih.gov/
*The call is free and a trained information specialist is available to answer your questions.

National Cancer Institute
Office of Cancer Communications
31 Center Drive, MSC 2580
Bethesda, MD 20892-2580

American Cancer Society
Phone: (202) 4-CANCER
Internet Address: http://www.cancer.org/

The National Center for Human Genome Research, NIH
Phone: (301) 402-0911
Internet Address: http://www.nhgri.nih.gov/

http://www.cancer.gov

http://www.healthtalk.com/index.shtml

This information was abstracted from fact sheets developed by the National Cancer Institute. All material contained in the FAQs is free of copyright restrictions, and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services; citation of the sources is appreciated.

STEP ONE: Stand in front of a mirror that is large enough for you to see your breasts clearly. Check each breast for anything unusual. Check the skin for puckering, dimpling, or scaliness.
STEP TWO: Check for any change in the shape or contour of your breasts. As you do the steps below, you should feel your chest muscles tighten. Watching closely, clasp your hands behind your head and press your hands forward.
STEP THREE: Next, press your hands firmly on your hips and bend slightly forward toward the mirror as you pull your shoulders and your elbows forward.
STEP FOUR: Raise one arm. Use your fingers of your other hand to check the breast and the surrounding area firmly, carefully, and thoroughly. Some women like to use lotion or powder to help their fingers glide easily over the skin. Other women do this step in the shower with soapy water. Feel for any unusual lump or mass under the skin. Feel your breast by pressing your fingers in small, overlapping areas about the size of a dime. To be sure you cover your whole breast, take your time and follow a definite pattern, like circles or lines.
STEP FIVE: With one arm over your head and a pillow or folded towel under your shoulder. This position flattens the breast and makes it easier to check. With your arm over your head, check each breast and the area around it very carefully by pressing and moving in a repetitive pattern. If you notice a lump or discharge at any time, contact your health care provider.

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