The Facts
More women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer every year than with any other cancer except skin cancer. This year, about 183,000 women will be diagnosed and about 41,000 women will die of the disease. Many of these lives could have been saved by early diagnosis.
Who is at Risk?
Most women who get breast cancer have no family history of the disease or other risk factors. Breast cancer can occur at any age, but it becomes more common as a woman gets older. Although some women are at slightly higher risk – women whose mothers or sisters had breast cancer, women who have never had children and women who had their first child after age 30 – the biggest risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman. The use of tamoxifen in higher risk women may lower the risk of developing breast cancer.
The Best Defense: Early Detection
The earlier breast cancer is detected, the easier it is to treat. The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines for early detection:
Age 40 and over:
* Have a mammogram every year.
* Have a clinical breast exam by a health care professional every year.
* Do a breast self-exam each month.
Age 20-39
* Do a breast self-exam each month.
* Have a clinical breast exam by a health care professional every three years.
To make an appointment call 968-4411.
For more information, please check out the following websites...
These nonprofit organizations are leading the fight against breast cancer.
www.komen.org * The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
www.youngsurvival.org * Young Survival Coalition
www.bcrfcure.org * Breast Cancer Research Foundation
www.cancercare.org * Cancer Care
www.breastcancer.org * Breastcancer.org
www.cityofhope.org * City of Hope National Medical Center
www.eifoundation.org * Women’s Cancer Research Fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation
www.y-me.org * Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization
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