8 Things You Need to Know About Breast Cancer

Women with no family history of breast cancer should be getting a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40. Women should be getting yearly mammograms once they turn 40. Unfortunately, only 50% of women 40+ are getting a mammograms and with more than 231,000 women getting diagnosed with breast cancer every year, that is a major concern.

Women of all ages (starting as early as age 20) should be doing breast self-exams monthly regardless of their risk factors. The purpose of performing breast self-exams is to be familiar with how your own breast tissue feels so that you can more easily identify if something feels wrong or different. Between the ages of 20 and 40, it is recommended that women also have a physical exam of the breast by a trained professional every 3 years and then yearly beginning at age 40.

Women who still menstruate should perform self exams a few days after their period ends each month because their breasts are less likely to be tender or swollen around that time. Women who no longer menstruate should perform self exams on the same day of every month — for example, the first of the month or the day of your birthday each month — so that it is easy to remember to perform a self-exam once a month.

There are a surprising number of myths that women believe about breast cancer. Three that are important to dispel are: 1) breast cancer only affects women over the age of 40; 2) mastectomies are the best way to treat beast cancer and will increase survival rate; and 3) mammograms can increase the risk of cancer — as none of those statements are true.

The truth is breast cancer affects women of all ages. The medical community has seen women as young as 20 being diagnosed with the disease. That’s why it’s so important for women to make it a priority to perform self exams and get physical examinations of the breast starting in their 20s. Also, African American women in particular have a higher incidence rate of breast cancer before age 40 and are more likely to die from breast cancer at all ages, so it is critical for African American women to make breast health a priority as well.

Also, mastectomies do not necessarily increase your rate of survival. Many women who come into Saint Agnes’ Comprehensive Breast Center initially request a mastectomy (full removal of the cancerous breast), because they assume that a more aggressive surgical treatment will boost their survival rate. However, studies have shown that a lumpectomy (removal of the cancerous lump in the breast) paired with radiation is a much less aggressive form of treatment that is equally successful in terms of survival rate for patients for whom lumpectomies are an option. With that said, there is a relatively small number of women who do not meet the criteria for a lumpectomy and for whom mastectomies are the medically recommended method of treatment.

If women notice any unusual change in their breast, they should contact their doctor. This includes detecting a lump in the breast or armpit, a change in the size, shape or skin appearance of the breast, a change in the appearance of the skin around the nipple or bleeding or discharge from the nipple. Women should also contact their doctor if they have a family history of breast cancer so that their doctor can discuss a surveillance plan, assess the need for genetic testing and develop an individualized treatment plan.

Most breast cancers are random but about 5% are related to a genetic predisposition. In particular, women who are diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 50; women who have more than one first degree relative (i.e. a mother, sister, daughter) with breast cancer; women who have bilateral breast cancer; women who have a family history of ovarian cancer; or women who have a male relative with breast cancer are all candidates to be seen by a genetic counselor to discuss their potential for genetic abnormalities and genetic testing.

When breast cancer is caught early, it significantly increases the survival rate of the patient. That’s why regular mammography and exams are so important. Mammograms save thousands of lives each year. Women of all ages need to make sure that they are giving themselves the best possible chance at living long, healthy lives. If you are over the age of 40 or you have a family history of breast cancer and you haven’t scheduled your yearly mammogram, it is important to do so immediately.

A support system is extremely important when a woman receives a breast cancer diagnosis. A diagnosis is life-changing and has a dramatic emotional toll on many women, but having a support system to lean on can strengthen patients, make them feel less isolated and help them through the recovery process. In fact, studies show that women with strong support systems live longer. At Saint Agnes, we have a variety of support programs to help patients cope with their diagnosis such as “Laughter Yoga”, for our patients to emotionally unwind and meet others going through similar experiences; and “Look Good … Feel Better”, teaching women how to cope with the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment (such as skin changes and hair loss). We also have programs for the family and friends of our patients such as our Spiritual Care & Chapel, which provides spiritual well-being to patients and their support networks, and our C.L.I.M.B. and Kids Camp programs, to help children whose parents or grandparents have been diagnosed with breast cancer cope wit the disease.