October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and every year, I wondered what else I needed to know about breast cancer. I donated every year to breast cancer research, I performed self-breast exams every once in awhile and I made it to my annual mammogram, for the most part. I may have skipped a year here or there as a busy working mom who typically prioritizes my husband and kids over self-care. My breasts were healthy! There wasn’t any history of breast cancer in my family. I was told that I had dense breast tissue but it was common and nothing to worry about. I thought I knew the truth about breast cancer.
I am a young and exuberant 49 year old woman who still harbors an irrational belief that I am invincible. I exercise regularly, play basketball with my son in the driveway, walk the dog, eat kale and quinoa, hardly drink alcohol and stopped smoking in the early 2000s. I looked and felt like the picture of health.
A stage 0 breast cancer diagnosis, double masectomy and breast reconstruction surgery later, and here I am. This was a very difficult way to realize that there is so much I did NOT know about breast cancer. While I considered myself to be “aware” of breast cancer, I still held some questionable beliefs.
I am not at risk.
I probably don’t have to worry about breast cancer because I don’t have any risk factors.
- I don’t have big breasts
- I don’t wear underwire bras
- I don’t use deodorant
False. There are many myths that circulate on the internet and that are even passed down from generation to generation. It is important to understand the REAL risk factors associated with breast cancer.
Genetic risk factors cannot be changed and include:
Gender – Occurs 100 times more often in women than in men
Age – Above age 55
Race – Diagnosed more often in Caucasian women
Family History – Higher risk if family member has been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer
Mentrual and Reproductive History – Menstruation before age 12, menopause after age 55, having your first child at an older age, or never having given birth
Genetic Mutations – Determined through genetic testing, these gene mutations can pass onto children.
Dense Breast Tissue – Dense breast tissue can increase breast cancer risk and make lumps harder to detect
Environmental and lifestyle risk factors can be changed and include:
Lack of physical activity
Poor diet
Being overweight or Obese
Drinking alcohol
Hormone replacement therapy
There is a breast cancer risk assessment calculator link here. I took this assessment AFTER my diagnosis with my doctor because I didn’t even know an assessment tool existed. To my surprise, my menstrual and reproductive history along with having dense breast tissue increased my risk for breast cancer.
Routine and consistent self-breast exams are an adequate form of breast cancer detection.
True and False. Self-breast exams are definitely an essential element for breast cancer detection, but not the only one. It is extremely important to perform self-breast exams routinely. The best time to do a monthly breast self-exam is about 3 to 5 days after your period starts, basically at the same time every month. If you have gone through menopause, do your exam on the same day every month. The following link provides more information about self-breast exams and how to perform them.
Clinical breast exams are also an integral part of an early breast cancer detection plan. A clinical breast exam is similar to a self-breast exam except it is performed by a healthcare professional during an in-office visit. A clinical breast exam is usually performed annualy.
Clinical and self-breast exams allow you to see any physical symptoms that may be a sign of breast cancer. However, these exams will not be able to detect breast cancer on a cellular level before any physical changes occur.
Mammograms are only for older women and if I detect lumps and/or any physical changes.
False. Mammograms are for EVERYONE!
- Women 40 and older should have mammograms every 1 to 2 years.
- Women younger than 40 that have risk factors for breast cancer should talk with their doctor to determine if they should get a mammogram and how often to get one.
- Even women who have no symptoms and no known risks for breast cancer should have regularly scheduled mammograms to help detect potential breast cancer at the earliest possible time.
I only have to worry about breast cancer if I have breast pain.
False. Signs or symptoms of breast cancer include:
- Nipple tenderness or a lump or thickening in or near the breast or underarm area
- A change in the skin texture or an enlargement of pores in the skin of the breast (like an orange peel)
- a lump in the breast (although not all lumps are cancerous)
- unexplained change in the size or shape of the breast
- nipple discharge (clear or bloody)
Breast pain usually is not a sign of breast cancer. Breast pain is usually present to some degree with inflammatory breast cancer which has other distinct symptoms as well. Rarely, a breast tumor may cause pain, but generally, cancerous tumors are not reported as painful.
Making time to incorporate early breast cancer detection practices in my life a PRIORITY will provide me with a better chance of survival.
True! True! True! According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is detected early, and is in the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%.
Breast cancer incidence rose by 1% a year overall from 2012 to 2021. But women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s experienced a 1.4% annual increase in incidence. Regular self-breast exams and annual mammograms are crucial tools necessary to catch breast cancer in it’s early stages. Please realize that if you have lumps, risk factors, and symptoms it does not mean you have breast cancer. This means that you should see your doctor as soon as possible to definitively determine if you have breast cancer or if you need to increase screenings or go for more testing. Part of awareness is knowing when you need to see a health care professional. There are many sources of information about breast cancer. The following websites are excellent supplements to this article:
https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer.html
