According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the sixth leading cause of death in women, killing over 41,000 women each year. It is the second leading cancer in women, closely following skin cancer. Although breast cancer can be fatal, it can be treated if detected early enough.
Over the years, research has found several risk factors that may increase a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Having one or more of these risks does not guarantee that a woman will definitely develop breast cancer, but does increase the chances. Some of these risk factors are preventable, while others are unavoidable. Risk factors that are inevitable include: getting older, having a family history of breast cancer, having an early onset of the menstrual cycle, and/or having late menopause. In contrast, some risk factors are influenced by lifestyle choices and habits. These risk factors include: being overweight, no regular exercise, never breastfeeding, never having children or having your first child after thirty years of age, long term use of hormone replacement therapy, using birth control pills, and drinking more than one alcoholic drink every day. Despite the many risk factors associated with developing breast cancer, it can be cured if detected early. All women over the age of 40 years old should be screened for breast cancer. Screening means having tests to look for breast cancer before symptoms appear. There are three ways to screen for breast cancer: clinical breast exam, breast self-exam, and a mammogram. A clinical breast exam is a physical exam performed by a physician or other health care professional. These are usually completed once a year. A breast self-exam should be done once a month by every woman to feel for changes in the breast. Lastly, mammograms have been proven to be the most effective tool in detecting breast cancer early. A mammogram is an x-ray that can detect breast cancer before it is large enough to feel or show symptoms. According to the CDC, every woman should have a mammogram every year after age 40.
Talk to your physician about what breast cancer screenings are appropriate for you and when you should start having them. You can access additional information on the CDC web-site at www.cdc.gov or from the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org. Remember, when it comes to breast cancer, early detection is the best protection.