Breast cancer

Each year in the United States, about 255,000 women get breast cancer and 42,000 women die from the disease.

Men also get breast cancer, but it is not very common. About 1 out of every 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the United States is found in a man.

Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older, but breast cancer also affects younger women.

Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

There are different symptoms of breast cancer, and some people have no symptoms at all. Symptoms can include

• Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.

• Pain in any area of the breast.

• Nipple discharge other than breast milk (including blood).

• A new lump in the breast or underarm.

If you have any signs that worry you, see your doctor right away.

Breast cancer is sometimes found after symptoms appear, but many women with breast cancer have no symptoms. This is why regular breast cancer screening is so important.

American Cancer Society recommendations for the early detection of breast cancer

Finding breast cancer early and getting state-of-the-art cancer treatment are the most important strategies to prevent deaths from breast cancer.

Breast cancer that’s found early, when it’s small and has not spread, is easier to treat successfully. Getting regular screening tests is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early. The American Cancer Society has screening guidelines for women at average risk of breast cancer, and for those at high risk for breast cancer.

What are screening tests?

The goal of screening tests for breast cancer is to find it before it causes symptoms (like a lump that can be felt).

Screening refers to tests and exams used to find a disease in people who don’t have any symptoms. Early detection means finding and diagnosing a disease earlier than if you’d waited for symptoms to start.

Breast cancers found during screening exams are more likely to be smaller and still confined to the breast. The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are some of the most important factors in predicting the prognosis (outlook) of a woman with this disease.

The Reporter urges all women to call your doctor to schedule your breast exam today. —K.W.C.