*** Breast Cancer Basics

Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in women, surpassed only by lung cancer. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that over 200,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2006. The ACS further estimates that close to 41,000 women will die from breast cancer this year. The good news is that there are over 2 million American women who have been treated for breast cancer who are still alive which demonstrates the profound effectiveness of early detection and proper treatment.

While the chance of a woman developing invasive breast cancer at some point in her life is high (approximately 1 in 8 women or a 12.5% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer), the chance of dying from this disease is much lower (approximately 1 in 33 women or a 3% lifetime risk of dying from breast cancer).

As you can see, there is a tremendous difference between your risk of developing this disease and your risk of dying from it. Early detection is vital to curing this potentially lethal disease. Medical science has come a tremendous way, but the more advanced the cancer is when treatment starts, the less likely that it will be completely curable.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

• While all women are at risk for breast cancer, several factors increase a woman’s risk.
• Advancing age. Close to 80% of breast cancers are found in women 50 years of age or older.
• Family history. While having a close relative on either the mother’s or father’s side of the family can increase risk, having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer nearly doubles a woman’s risk.
• Genetic mutations. An estimated 5-10% of cases of breast cancer can be linked to specific gene mutations, BRCA1 and BRCA2.
• Race. White females are more likely to get breast cancer than African-American females, but African-American females are more likely to die as a result of their cancer than White females. Hispanic, Asian, and Native American women are less likely to develop breast cancer than white women.
• Prior (personal) history of breast cancer. A woman who has had one breast cancer is more likely to develop a second one compared to women who have never been diagnosed with this condition.
• Prolonged menstruation. Ladies who started having periods early in life (prior to age 12) or who stopped having periods late in life (after age 55) have an increased risk of breast cancer, though only slight.
• Delayed childbirth. Women who have never had children, or who waited until after age 30 to start having children have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer while women who had multiple children when they were young have a relatively lower risk.
• Hormones. Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been shown to increase one’s risk of breast cancer. Some studies suggest that certain birth control pills may slightly increase the risk as well.
• Regular alcohol consumption, even 1 drink per day, may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer. Ladies who drink 2 or more drinks per day have a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer.
• Overweight. Being overweight has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, especially if the excess weight is in the waist area.
• Prior radiation treatments to the chest area
• Prior treatment with DES during pregnancy

Things that lower your risk

• Regular exercise
• Breast-feeding

Though breast cancer still claims the lives of many thousands of women each year, many could have been saved if only their disease had been detected early. There are not enough doctors and nurses in this country to adequately council and encourage each woman to examine her breasts and get her scheduled mammogram. Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to identify 5 women and encourage them to have their yearly gynecology exam, examine their breasts monthly, and have their yearly mammogram (if they are 40 years of age or older). YOU can save a life without a medical degree. Take advantage of the power you have to make a difference in someone’s life!