The word breast cancer strikes fear in the hearts of many women. It pays to be aware of what breast cancer is and how you can prevent. Here are some facts about breast cancer every woman should know…

1. Breast Cancer - Be Aware
Photo Courtesy of Alwyck at www.sxc.hu
By Brian Bowie

2. The word breast cancer strikes fear in the hearts of many
women. It pays to be aware of what breast cancer is and
how you can prevent. Here are some facts about breast
cancer every woman should know…
What Should I Know About Breast Cancer?
Some studies indicate that breast cancer in women is
second only to skin cancer. It is also possible for men to
develop breast cancer; women are up to 100 times more
likely to develop it than men.
Other studies and research indicate breast cancer is the
second leading cause of death from cancer in women. The
first leading cause is lung cancer. Some of this research at
the time of this writing indicates the chance of dying from
breast cancer is one in 33, but that number is decreasing
as new forms of treatment and early detection are being
implemented.

3. Breast cancer takes several forms and can occur in
different parts of the breast. The traditional form of
treatment is with radiation, chemotherapy or surgery. The
type of treatment that the doctor will prescribe depends on
the type of cancer, how far it has spread and where it is
located which treatment program is determined for any
individual.
The great news is that due to the increased awareness of
breast cancer and its consequence, there has been a
great deal of progress in curing and preventing breast
cancer. If you find that you do have a high risk of breast
cancer due to lifestyle, family history or other factors then
you should definitely discuss with your doctor any
preventative measures you should be taking.
Who is More Likely to Get It?
Some research (at the time the research) was conducted
indicates that 1 in 8 women in the US will experience
some form of breast cancer in her lifetime. Of course with
improvements in breast cancer awareness, prevention and
treatment, this numbers will probably get better.

4. Research indicates that every women is at risk of breast
cancer, however there are certain factors that can
increase this risk in certain women. Now just because you
are at a higher risk does not mean that you will develop
breast cancer and just because you do not have these risk
factors does not mean that
Some of the common factors that increase the risk of
breast cancer are smoking, age and family history.
Of the three, only smoking can be controlled. The other
two cannot. As you get older the risk of breast cancer gets
greater. This means that as you get older you should
definitely become more vigilant in preventative measures.
Some research (at the time of the research) indicates that
almost 8 out of 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer
are over 50. You risk will also increase if someone else in
your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

5. A couple of other increased risk factors that should be
considered are as follows:
1. Caucasian women have a higher risk of developing
breast cancer but African-American women more
often die from the disease. Asians, Hispanics and
American Indian women are at a lower risk.
2. If you started your menstruation before age 12, you
are at an increased risk of breast cancer.
3. If you go through menopause after 55, this will also
slightly increase the risk.
4. If you took the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) may
increase the risk of breast cancer
5. Not eating correctly, not exercising and using alcohol
all may increase the risk.
6. Long term use of hormone replacement therapy may
also increase the risk.
7. Using birth control pills also may increase the risk of
breast cancer.
The good news is that if you eat healthy, exercise, reduce
you alcohol consumption, have children and breastfeed for
as long as 1 1/2 to 2 years, your risk of breast cancer may
be reduced.

6. What Can I Do to Reduce the Risk?
The most important thing you can do is to check your
breasts at least monthly to look for lumps. If you find any
lumps, then you need to have your doctor check these
lumps out to ensure they are not cancer. The reason for
this is that the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the
better the chances that it can be healed.
You should consider following the American Cancer
Society recommendations for how to do a breast exam
and also when and how often you should get a clinical
breast examination by a health care professional. You
should also follow the advice of how often to get
mammograms from your doctor,
You should also report to your doctor any changes in the
breast including dimpling, swelling, discharges other than
milk or any other change to the nipple. It is likely that these
are not a form of breast cancer, but if they are you will
want to get treatment early since this is one of the key
factors in healing breast cancer.