Breast Cancer Facts

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Here are some facts that you should know about breast cancer.

1. The National Cancer Institute, a component of the National Institutes of Health, estimates that, based on current rates, 12.7 percent of women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time in their lives.

2. Nearly all breast cancers can be treated successfully if detected early.

3. In the United States, breast cancer is the most common non-skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Each year, a small number of men are also diagnosed with or die from breast cancer. Although the breast cancer diagnosis rate has increased since the early 1990s, the overall breast cancer death rate has dropped steadily.

4. The incidence of breast cancer is highest in whites, but African Americans have higher mortality rates than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. The gap in mortality between African Americans and whites is wider now than it was in the early 1990s.

5. It is estimated that approximately $8.1 billionis spent in the United States each year on treatment of breast cancer.

6. Although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men.

7. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with cancer of the breast during their lifetime.

8. We do not know how to prevent breast cancer, but it is possible for a woman of average risk to reduce her risk of developing the disease. Lifestyle factors such as reducing alcohol use, breast-feeding, engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a healthy balanced diet with at least five servings of fruit or vegetables every day are all associated with lower risk.

9. Women should know how their breasts feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care provider.

10.Besides having a family history of breast cancer, additional risk factors include: postmenopausal hormone therapy, overweight or obesity, especially excessive weight gain after menopause, use of alcohol, especially one or more drinks daily, physical inactivity, long menstrual history, never having children or having first live birth after age 30, and previous chest radiation to treat another cancer.

Sources:

Source for incidence and mortality data: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program and the National Center for Health Statistics. Additional statistics and charts are available at http://seer.cancer.gov/.

Cancer Trends Progress Report (http://progressreport.cancer.gov), in 2004 dollars, based on methods described in Medical Care 2002 Aug; 40 (8 Suppl): IV-104-17.

www.cancer.org