October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, reminding women across the country of the importance of breast cancer screening. Except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women.
Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before it is advanced enough to feel or cause symptoms. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. Most women who are 50 to 74 years old should have a screening mammogram every two years.
If you have certain risk factors, you may be more likely to get breast cancer. Certain reproductive risk factors may put you at higher risk, including:
- Being younger when you have your first menstrual period
- Never giving birth, or being older at the birth of your first child
- Starting menopause at a later age
- Using hormone replacement therapy for a long time
Other risk factors include:
- A personal history of breast cancer, dense breasts, or some other breast problems
- A family history of breast cancer (parent, sibling, or child)
- Getting older
- Being overweight, especially after menopause
Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older, but breast cancer also affects younger women. About 11 percent of all new cases of breast cancer in the United States are found in women younger than 45 years of age.
While white women have the highest rate of breast cancer, African American women are more likely to die from the disease. Studies suggest this disparity is due to African American women being diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage and receiving treatment after a late diagnosis.
Different people have different warning signs for breast cancer. Some people may have no signs or symptoms at all and may only find out they have breast cancer after a routine mammogram.
Some warning signs of breast cancer include:
- A lump or pain in the breast
- Thickening or swelling of part of the breast
- A change in the size or shape of the breast
- Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
- Redness or flaky skin on the breast
- Pain in the nipple area
- Fluid other than breast milk from the nipple
Other conditions can cause these symptoms, so call your doctor right away if you have any signs that worry you.
Many factors can influence your risk of breast cancer, and most women who develop breast cancer do not have any known risk factors or a history of the disease in their families. However, you can help lower your risk of breast cancer in the following ways:
- Keep a healthy weight
- Exercise regularly
- Get enough sleep
- Limit alcohol consumption
- Ask your doctor about the risks of hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives
- Breastfeed babies, if possible
- Avoid exposure to cancer-causing chemicals
It is important to know your family history and talk to your doctor about screening and other ways you can lower you risk of breast cancer.
The St. Mary’s County Health Department helps eligible women receive screening services for breast cancer. Through the St. Mary’s County Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, eligible women receive regular clinical breast exams, mammograms, Pap tests, and associated diagnostic services at no cost to them. Through a separate initiative offered by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, breast or cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment services may also be covered for eligible Maryland residents. To learn more about the health department’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, click here.
For more information about breast cancer prevention and screening, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website here.