By: Nancy Honig
You may have noticed that October has become the month that pink is everywhere from Pink Out at local football games to state and national sports team wearing pink. It is all in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness month. How prevalent is breast cancer? It is about 30% (or 1 in 3) of all new female cancers each year. The American Cancer Society’s estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2023 are: About 297,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women. About 55,720 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) will be diagnosed.
Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is detected early, and is in the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%.
Breast cancer screening means checking a woman’s breasts for cancer before there are signs or symptoms of the disease. All women need to be informed by their health care provider about the best screening options for them. Although breast cancer screening cannot prevent breast cancer, it can help find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat. Breast cancers found during screening exams are more likely to be smaller and less likely to have spread outside the breast. The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are some of the most important factors in predicting the prognosis (outlook) of a woman with this disease. Talk to your doctor about which breast cancer screening tests are right for you, and when you should have them.
Regular screenings are an important part of detection. The most common include the following:
Mammogram: This is an X-ray of the breast. For many women, mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms. At this time, a mammogram is the best way to find breast cancer for most women of screening age.
Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): A breast MRI uses magnets and radio waves to take pictures of the breast. Breast MRI is used along with mammograms to screen women who are at high risk for getting breast cancer. Because breast MRIs may appear abnormal even when there is no cancer, they are not used for women at average risk.
Clinical Breast Exam: A clinical breast exam is an examination by a doctor or nurse, who uses his or her hands to feel for lumps or other changes.
Breast Self-Awareness: Being familiar with how your breasts look and feel can help you notice symptoms such as lumps, pain, or changes in size that may be of concern. These could include changes found during a breast self-exam. You should report any changes that you notice to your doctor or health care provider.
Breast cancer screening is something that I take very seriously. I have had yearly screening for a number of years and will continue to be diligent about them. It was February of 2019 when my best friend and I went for our annual mammograms together that they detected an abnormality. Four days later she found out she had breast cancer. After a long journey she is cancer free today and credits a lot of it to catching it early through screening.
Make it a priority for your health. Approximately 1 in 8 women in America will get breast cancer during their lifetime. Detection is key. Get screened
