October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

That being the case, I figured we should take the time to become truly aware of

  • What breast cancer is
  • How it has affected our country
  • How we can screen for it
  • What the risk factors are
  • Resources
  • Support
  • How to Get Involved

Breast cancer is a type of cancer where cells in the breast divide and grow without normal control.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in the United States. It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among nearly every racial and ethnic group, including African American, American Indian/, Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latina women.

In 2011, it is estimated that among…

U.S. Women:

  • There will be 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer (includes new cases of primary breast cancer among survivors, but not recurrence of original breast cancer among survivors).
  • There will be 57,650 new cases of in situ breast cancer (includes ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), of those, about 85 percent were DCIS). DCIS is a non-invasive breast cancer and LCIS is a risk factor that increases the risk of invasive breast cancer. Learn more about DCIS and breast cancer risk. Learn more about LCIS and breast cancer risk.
  • There will be 39,520 breast cancer deaths.

U.S. Men:
Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen.

  •  There will be 2,140 new cases of breast cancer.
  • There will be 450 breast cancer deaths.

Click on the Statistics Page for more details.

Screening can help save lives.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® recommends that you:

  1. Know your risk
  2. Get screened – Ask your doctor which screening tests are right for you if you are at a higher risk
  3. Know what is normal for you – See your health care provider if you notice any breast changes, click HERE for the list.
  4. Make healthy lifestyle choices, click HERE for the list.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® offers a variety of breast self-awareness cards in different languages and for specific populations.

*The risk of dying increases greatly when breast cancer is diagnosed at more advanced stages.

Many possible risk factors for breast cancer are under study.

Though the findings to date are not strong enough to say whether or not they are truly related to breast cancer, research suggests they call for further study.

  • Antibiotic use
  • Aspirin use
  • Body care cosmetics containing parabens
  • Breast size
  • Caffeine
  • Cell phone use
  • Dairy products
  • Dietary fat
  • Folic acid (folate) and multivitamin use
  • French fry consumption
  • Fruits, vegetables and carotenoids
  • Glycemic index and insulin
  • Hair relaxers
  • Left-handedness
  • Meat consumption
  • Migraine headaches
  • Protein hormones (prolactin and IGF-1)
  • Secondhand smoke
  • Smoking
  • Soy and phytoestrogens
  • Stress
  • Vitamin D

Click Here for Specific Details.

RESOURCES:

Click here to have access to a list of available resources.

SUPPORT:

Click here to have access to a list of available support.

GET INVOLVED:

Click here to find out How to Get Involved

These facts were gathered from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Website