Although October is the only month officially designated for the promotion of breast cancer awareness, it’s important to remain vigilant about the disease’s symptoms, risk factors and preventative measures year-round — especially for women over 40.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women and the second-leading cause of cancer death among women. Every year, about 200,000 new cases of breast cancer are reported nationwide and more than 40,000 women die from the disease.
Getting regular mammograms can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. According to CDC’s “Vital Signs,” more than 7 million women have not had a recent mammogram, an X-ray of the breasts, to screen for breast cancer. Mammograms can find breast cancer early, before it is large enough to feel or cause physical symptoms. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends if you are 50 to 74 years old, be sure to have a screening mammogram every two years. If you are 40 to 49 years old, talk to your doctor about when to start and how often to get a screening mammogram.
Symptoms
Different people have different warning signs for breast cancer. Some warning signs of breast cancer include:
- New lump in the breast or underarm.
- Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
- Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
- Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
- Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area.
- Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
- Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
- Pain in any area of the breast.
Keep in mind some of these warning signs can happen with other conditions that are not cancer. If you have any signs that worry you, be sure to see your doctor right away.
Risk factors
The main factors that influence your risk for breast cancer include being a woman, being older (40 years old or older) and having changes in certain breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2). Other risk factors include:
- Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy.
- Personal history of breast cancer or noncancerous breast diseases.
- Family history of breast cancer (on either your mother’s or father’s side).
- Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.
- Exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES).
- Dense breasts by mammogram.
- Drinking alcohol.
- Night-shift work.
Some women will develop breast cancer even without any known risk factors. Having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease, and not all risk factors affect your risk to the same extent. If you have breast cancer risk factors, talk with your doctor about ways you can lower your risks and about screening for breast cancer.
Preventative measures
In addition to getting regular mammograms, you can help lower your risk of breast cancer in the following ways:
- Keep a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly (at least 4 hours a week).
- Get enough sleep.
- Don’t drink alcohol, or limit alcoholic drinks to only one per day.
- Avoid exposure to cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens).
- Reduce your exposure to radiation during medical tests.
- If you are taking or have been told to take hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives, ask your doctor about the risks and find out if it is right for you.
- Breastfeed your babies, if possible.
If you have a family history of breast cancer or inherited changes in your BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, talk to your doctor about alternative ways of reducing your risk, such as antiestrogens or prophylactic surgeries.
For more information, visit www.cdc.gov or call (800) 232-4636