October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Information from NBCAM

Age is one of the risk factors for breast cancer. Are you up to date on your breast cancer screening?

According to the National Cancer Institute, there are almost 200,000 new cases of breast cancer in the United States each year. Of these an estimated 40,460 women—and 450 men—will die from the disease. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, aside from skin cancer.

The basic treatment choices for breast cancer are surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy. A patient and her physician will choose the treatment that is right for her, based on the location and extent of the cancer, patient's age and preferences, and the risks and benefits of each treatment.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

Having one or two of these risk factors doesn't mean a woman will develop breast cancer. But knowing her personal risk factor profile and understanding what it means will help her and her doctor plan a course of action that may reduce her chances of developing the disease or, at least, to detect it in its earliest, most treatable stages. The most common risk factors are:

• Sex. The highest risk factor for breast cancer is being female; the disease is about 100 times more common among women.
  
• Age. The risk of breast cancer increases as a woman grows older. The risk is especially high for women age 60 and older. Breast cancer is uncommon in women younger than age 35, although it does occur. There is some evidence to suggest young African American women are at greater risk for breast cancer than young Caucasian women.
  
• Personal history. Women who have had breast cancer and women with a history of breast disease (not cancer, but a condition that may predispose them to cancer) may develop it again.
  
• Family history. The risk of developing breast cancer increases for a woman whose mother, sister, daughter, or two or more close relatives have had the disease. It is important to know how old they were at the time they were diagnosed.
  
• The breast cancer genes. Some individuals, both women and men, may be born with an "alteration" (or change) in one of two genes that are important for regulating breast cell growth. Women with a family history of breast cancer are encouraged to speak to a genetics counselor to determine the pros and cons of genetic testing.
  
• Having an early menarche (first period or menstrual bleeding). Women who begin menstruating before age 12 are at increased risk of developing breast cancer. The more menstrual cycles a woman has over her lifetime, the more likely she is to get the disease.
  
• Having a first pregnancy after age 25 or 35. Although early pregnancies may help lower the chances of getting breast cancer, particularly before the age of 25, these same hormonal changes after age 35 may contribute to the incidence of breast cancer.
  
• Having no children. Women who experience continuous menstrual cycles until menopause are at a higher than average risk.
  
• Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Based on the Women's Health Initiative Study (2002), women do appear to have an increased risk of breast cancer while they are on HRT and a short time thereafter, compared to those who have never used postmenopausal HRT. This is based on a study of 16,000 healthy postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 who were taking either estrogen plus progestin as HRT or a placebo (an inactive pill).

Other Risk Factors—And Lifestyle Choices to Avoid Them

Common to all women are daily lifestyle decisions that may affect breast cancer risk. These day-to-day choices involve factors such as poor diet, insufficient physical activity, alcohol use, and smoking. Besides possibly reducing breast cancer risk, lifestyle improvements represent smart steps for a healthier life, since they can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and many other chronic, life-threatening conditions.

Decrease your daily fat intake—especially saturated or hydrogenated fats. Eat leaner meats and limit red meat. Reducing your fat intake helps prevent other health problems such as heart disease and stroke and may reduce your chance of developing breast and colon cancers.

Increase fiber in your diet. Fiber is found in whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. This type of diet is beneficial for your heart and can help prevent other cancers such as colon cancer.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition to their fiber content, fruits and vegetables have antioxidant properties and micronutrients that may help prevent some cancers.

Limit alcohol. Evidence suggests that a small increase in risk exists for women who average two or more drinks per day (beer, wine, and distilled liquor).

Stay active. The U.S. Surgeon General has recently reported that you can help prevent many health problems by engaging in a moderate amount of physical activity (such as taking a brisk, 30-minute walk) on most days of the week. Strive to maintain the body weight recommended by a health professional, since excess fat may stimulate estrogen production.

Don't smoke. Although smoking doesn't cause breast cancer, it can increase the chance of blood clots, heart disease, and other cancers that may spread to the breast.

Screening

Mammography screening remains the best available method to detect breast cancer early. Other screening tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are available, but mammography screening remains the best option. Medicare covers mammography screening every year for women age 40 and older who are Medicare recipients. To find a breast-imaging facility, contact the National Cancer Institute at (800) 4-CANCER.

For More Information

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month website contains a wealth of resources and information.

For additional information on risk factors, access the American Cancer Society website, Breast Cancer Facts and Figures, 2006.

For more information about Medicare coverage, contact the Medicare toll-free hotline at (800) MEDICARE or the Medicare website.

About NBCAM

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization is comprised of several national public service organizations, professional medical associations, and government agencies working in partnership to build breast cancer awareness, share information and provide access to screening services. NBCAM, and www.nbcam.com, are a year-round resource for patients, survivors, caregivers and the general public.