According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about more than just wearing pink; it’s about supporting all those affected by it. Therefore, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about informing the population about this disease that will likely affect your life in one way or another.
“The world has decided that this experience is pink, that breast cancer is pink,” Justice Hehir of Rutger’s University said while performing her spoken word piece “I’m Not Buying It” at the 2014 CUPSI. The piece continued, “Which is funny … I didn’t see pink, I didn’t feel pink.”
Here’s some “must-have” information about breast cancer.
What causes breast cancer?
The truth is, we can’t pinpoint an exact cause for breast cancer. If that were possible, breast cancer prevention would be much different. Like all cancer, it develops when cell DNA is damaged, and replication becomes uncontrolled. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, there’s often a combination of genetic and environmental factors that contribute to why someone develops breast cancer.
While there isn’t much that can be done about genetic risk factors, there are steps that can be taken to reduce or eliminate environmental risks. Limiting alcohol consumption, breast-feeding and living an active lifestyle are all cited by the Mayo Clinic as ways to limit risk. Limiting, if not avoiding completely, exposure to hormone therapy and radiation are also extremely beneficial to those who are at high risk.
Who is more likely to develop breast cancer?
Women who have an immediate family history of breast cancer are more likely than their peers to develop the disease. Most diagnosis of breast cancer also occurs in individuals over the age of 55.
It’s also important to note that many myths surround breast cancer risk factors.
“One [common myth] is that larger breasts increase your risk for breast cancer, and that’s not true,” said Sandi Scott-Holman, a doctor in the NSU Student Medical Center. “I’ve also been asked if contraceptives can cause breast cancer, and that is also not true.”
When should someone start screening for breast cancer?
“That depends on the guidelines you choose to follow,” Scott-Holman said.
Most professionals recommend that women have a mammogram performed every two years starting at the age of 40 or 50. Scott-Holman suggested beginning at 40.
According to CNN, the American Cancer Society recently recommended less screening for breast cancer starting at age 45 due to the fact that the chances of finding cancer are very small.
Sometimes the “it depends” answer can be incredibly frustrating, especially when it relates to something as serious as health, but it’s important to remember that human beings don’t come with standardized instructions, and there isn’t a “right” way to live life. Every individual’s body and health are uniquely theirs. If someone feels that he or she is at risk for the development of breast cancer and feels that screening should be sooner, he or she should not hesitate to speak with a physician.
What’s the best way to treat breast cancer?
“That’s another answer that really depends. There’s no real standard for the best treatment,” Scott-Holman said. “Cancer has to be taken on a case-by-case basis based on the type of cancer and its stage.”
Again, it’s not the answer most people want to hear. The good news is that almost every expert will agree that cancer treatment, of any kind, is best done early. So if something feels wrong, don’t write it off or ignore it. The earlier a threat is caught, the less damage it can do. Even if it is just a scare, it is important to rule out any cancer health risks.
Why should young adults be aware about breast cancer?
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women. Therefore, it’s important to know what to look for. Scott-Holman encourages young women to get comfortable with their breast tissue so that they will be better able to detect abnormalities.
“Preventative services and early intervention are very important when it comes to cancer,” she said. “It’s important to self-examine.”
Men can also develop breast cancer and should seek medical attention if they detect any abnormalities.
Information on how to perform self-examinations can be found on National Breast Cancer Foundation’s website or by asking a physician. To schedule an appointment with the Student Medical Center, call 954-262-1262.
Myth Busters:
Breast cancer is a commonly misunderstood cancer because many people are not well informed, and, as a result, do not know the difference between real risk factors and common myths. Let’s bust some of those myth bubbles.
- Men cannot get breast cancer: While the majority of breast cancer cases are in women, men can get breast cancer. About 1% of all cases of breast cancer occurs in men. In the U.S. there are about 230,000 cases of invasive breast cancer a year and about 2000 of them occur in men.
- The bigger the breast the higher the risk: There is no data to support this. There is data that obesity, especially in postmenopausal women, increases breast cancer risk, but research conducted for this article did not find that the size of the breast correlates with risk, except as a reflection of overall body mass.
- All breast lumps are cancerous: The majority of breast masses are not cancer. The number varies from institution to institution, but roughly 20 to 30 percent of biopsied masses are cancerous.
- All breast cancer is the same: There are multiple subtypes of breast cancer. Clinically, cancers are divided into hormone receptor positive, HER2 amplified, and triple negative. The approach to these varies somewhat by subtype. Based on more sophisticated genomics, these three subtypes can be further divided based on genetic features of the tumors.
- Women have to remove the entire breast to get rid of the cancer: In many cases, breast conserving therapy, which is removing just the cancer and a portion of the normal breast around the cancer, is equivalent to removing the entire breast.
- Medicine can cure breast cancer: Early stage breast cancer, when the cancer is confined to the breast or which has only spread to the local lymph nodes, is highly curable. The therapy includes surgery, radiation, and systemic therapies. The systemic therapies include drugs to prevent estrogen from getting to the tumor, chemotherapy, and therapies targeted to the HER2 protein. The exact combination of these modalities depends on the nature of the breast cancer.
- If you don’t have a family history of breast cancer, you’re not at risk: Even though there is an increased risk of developing breast cancer if you have a family history of the disease, the majority of breast cancer cases occur in patients with no family history.
- Under wire bras increase risk of breast cancer: No.
Myth busting courtesy of Dr. Stanley Lipkowitz, chief of the Women’s Malignancies Branch and senior researcher at the Center for Cancer Research.
Sites for information on breast cancer:
If you or someone you know believes they may be at risk for developing breast cancer, make an appointment to see your physician immediately. For more information on breast cancer and ways to participate in supporting breast cancer awareness, visit the following sites:
thebreastcancersite.greatergood.com
www.breastcancer.org
www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer
www.nationalbreastcancer.org
www.breastcancerdeadline2020.org
