October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to promote screening and prevention of the disease. Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women in the United States. About one in eight American women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. Fortunately, if detected and treated early, the 5-year survival rate is 99%. Understanding breast health and breast cancer will help women know how to reduce their own risk.

Signs & Symptoms

• Nipple tenderness or a lump in or near the breast or underarm
• Change in skin texture of the breast such as dimpling or thickening
• Unexplained change in the size or shape of breast
• Unexplained swelling of the breast
• Nipple that is turned inward or inverted
• Bloody or clear nipple discharge

Screening Recommendations

The best early detection tool is mammography. In average-risk women, the US Preventative Services Task Force recommends mammography every 1-2 years starting at age 40. If you are high risk, additional screening may be recommended. Please discuss with your provider to understand your personal risk.
Breast awareness is recommended. Doing a breast self-exam is one way to check for signs and symptoms of breast cancer. Knowing how your breasts normally look and feel will help identify changes or abnormalities in your breast, such as a new lump or skin changes. Any changes you notice in your breasts should be reported to your healthcare provider right away.
It is recommended that women have an annual breast exam with their provider starting at age 18.

Risk Factors

Two types of risk factors contribute to developing breast cancer: risks that you can’t change and risks that you can.

Risk Factors you can’t change:

• Gender: females have a higher risk than males
• Age: increasing age is associated with higher risk of breast cancer
• Race: Caucasian women have a higher risk than Asian, Hispanic, or African American. African American women have a higher risk of more aggressive breast cancer that is diagnosed at a later stage.
• Family history of breast or ovarian cancer: If you have a mother, father, sister, or daughter with breast cancer, your risk is higher. When that family member has breast cancer before age 40, that further increases your risk.
• Dense breast tissue
• Starting your period before age 12
• Menopause after age 55

Environmental & Lifestyle Risk Factors that you can change

• Lack of physical activity: Even exercising 20 minutes daily will lower your risk.
• Unhealthy diet: a diet high in saturated fat and low in fruits and vegetables is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer, 4-5 cups of fruits and vegetables daily will lower that risk.
• Being Overweight or obese: losing weight with the goal of a normal BMI will reduce your risk.
• Drinking alcohol: drinking 1 alcoholic drink daily has an 8-10% higher risk than non-drinkers and 2-3 drinks have a 20% higher risk than non-drinkers.
• Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): some forms of hormone replacement therapy can increase your risk.
• Smoking