Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Think about eight women you care about, no matter their relationship to you. They can be friends, family members, wives, sisters, sweethearts, grandmothers, or even daughters.

Now, consider that one in eight women will experience breast cancer at some point. It’s extremely likely that at least one of those women will fall victim to this devastating disease. If you’re a female yourself, that woman may even be you.

The good news is that early detection and treatment significantly improves prognosis in most forms of breast cancer. That’s why public education campaigns play such an important role in lowering breast cancer rates.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In an effort to do our part to boost awareness and improve public education on the subject, we’ve put together some important information on breast cancer that everyone should know.

What Is Breast Cancer?

Many women are surprised to learn that breast cancer isn’t a single disease. Instead, the term “cancer” refers to a collection of conditions that cause cells in the body to multiply or grow at abnormal or exponential rates.

Researchers still don’t fully understand exactly why cancers occur, but we do know that most cases are related to genetic mutations within cells. These mutations can be hereditary or caused by carcinogenics like pollution and radiation. Even too much sunlight can trigger genetic cell changes that lead to cancer — this is why it’s important to use sunscreen.

In breast cancer, cells within the breast begin to grow and replicate too quickly. Patients usually (but not always) develop a tumor, but may develop inflammation throughout a portion of the breast instead.

Tumors don’t always cause cancer. Sometimes, they’re benign, meaning that they don’t change, grow, or bother the patient. Benign breast tumors are common, and often, once cancer is ruled out, they don’t even require any intervention. Instead, doctors simply monitor the lump for changes regularly.

Doctors consider a tumor to be malignant when the mutated cells grow so fast or so large that they begin to break free of the tumor pocket itself, spreading throughout the body and bloodstream (called “metastasizing”). This is risky because mutated cells can trigger cellular mutation in otherwise healthy cells, causing a patient with breast cancer to develop brain, lung, ovarian, or liver cancer at the same time.

Breast Cancer Statistics

• Approximately 12 percent of all American women across every race, age, and nationality will experience breast cancer.
• Although fatality rates are decreasing, research estimates that approximately 40,610 American women will die from breast cancer in 2017 alone. Early detection significantly improves survival rates.
• Death rates for breast cancer are higher than in any other cancer, including lung, liver, kidney, and brain malignancies.
• African-American women under 45 have a higher chance of developing breast cancer than women of any other race.
• Over 3.1 million American women have a history of developing breast cancer at least once. Some women may experience breast cancer multiple times.
• Around five to 10 percent of all breast cancers can be linked to hereditary genetic predispositions. This includes BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.
• Despite hereditary ties, 85 percent of all breast cancers occur due to spontaneous genetic mutation, often as a result of aging or possibly carcinogen exposure.
• Although women experience breast cancers at exponential rates, men are not immune. Around 1 in 1,000 men will experience breast cancer.
• Men who experience breast cancer are much more likely to die from the disease than women.

Signs and Symptoms

Breast cancer doesn’t always present with the same set of symptoms for every person. The most common early symptom is unusual changes in the shape or appearance of breast tissue.

The American Cancer Society lists these symptoms as suspicious:

• Breast swelling
• Irritation
• Redness
• Inflammation
• Pain or tenderness
• Sudden nipple inversion
• Scaly or thickening skin
• Discharge from the nipple

Discharge from the nipple does not include breast milk, but may appear as green, yellow, clear, or bloody discharge instead.

Detecting Changes Early

Getting familiar with your own breasts is the best way to detect suspicious changes. Know that every patient is different; what may be normal for you isn’t necessarily normal for someone else.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation recommends completing an at-home self breast exam at least once per month. They also provide easy-to-follow instructions to help you check for unusual changes at home here. If you do detect changes in your breasts, see your physician immediately.

Never write symptoms off as minor or innocuous. It is far better to have your doctor confirm you are in good health than to risk missing an opportunity for early detection and treatment.

Women age 40 or older should also schedule a yearly mammogram. A mammography machine gently presses the breast between two plastic or glass plates, where it then snaps an x-ray image of your breast. The resulting radiography image can detect tiny suspicious areas you may not otherwise feel on your own.

If your mammogram detects unusual or suspicious tissue, your doctor may recommend further testing, including ultrasounds, CT, or MRI. These methods produce clearer images with greater detail.

If your scans detect a lump, your doctor will most likely recommend a fine-needle biopsy. This test involves inserting a very fine needle into the lump to remove just a few cells for testing. The needle used is very small, and though the test may be uncomfortable, it usually isn’t painful. The withdrawn cells are transported to the laboratory, where technicians can confirm or deny the presence of cancer using a microscope.

How You Can Help

Want to help? There’s no need to wait until someone you know is diagnosed. You can join the fight against breast cancer right now.

The best way to make a difference is to donate time or money to charities, non-profits, and organizations that support cancer research and patient care. According to Charity Navigator, a few of the most reliable options include:

• Breast Cancer Research Foundation
• National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund
• Breast Cancer Prevention Partners
• Cancer Research Institute
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Prevent Cancer Foundation
• National Breast Cancer Foundation
• Susan Love Research Foundation
• The Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Stand Up To Cancer

Can’t donate money? You can still make a difference. Volunteer your time at a local chapter for your favorite cancer charity. These organizations often need boots on the ground for fundraising campaigns, item collection, and other localized strategies. You can also volunteer at a local hospital, care facility, or cancer clinic. Sometimes what patients need most is a friendly face to sit with them while they’re receiving treatment.