Every concern, be it social, political, economical or medical, becomes a trend when more and more people develop their interests in these areas and start investing their time and energy in them! The causes may vary, but the target remains the same - awareness! This is a possible way to prevent an upcoming problem. And this is facilitated through various ways and modes of campaigns. Breast cancer is a concern for all women across the world. And people are trying to spread awareness through the slogan, "Early detection Saves Lives". Even ads featuring popular movie actresses are also being featured on TVs so as to induce women to opt for early diagnosis. Several organizations arrange conferences and processions to spread awareness among the general public. Thus, if you are showing off a "pink ribbon", it should not appear to others as a "Show"! You need to know about breast cancer to let others know about it.
Here are the breast cancer facts which you need to know:
- Breast cancer forms in the tissue of the breast, but can also form in milk ducts and in the glands that produce milk.
- Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. It typically affects over 200,000 or approximately 1 in 8 women annually.
- Men are not immune to this terrible disease either; almost 2,000 new cases of male breast cancer were expected to crop up for 2010 alone.
- The risk of breast cancer increases with age and every woman is at risk. If you live up to 90 years your risk of developing this cancer becomes almost 14%.
- Statistics reveal that around 1.7 million breast cancers were diagnosed worldwide in 2007, 182,800 new cases in 2000 and 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed among women in 2009.
- Approximately 465,000 and 40,170 women died due to breast cancer in 2007 and 2009 respectively.
- The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 2.5 million women with a history of breast cancer were alive in January 2006. Most of these individuals were cancer-free, while others still had evidence of cancer and may have been undergoing treatment.
- North America, Australia, Europe have the highest incidence of breast cancer.
- Despite higher incidence rates, breast cancer death rates are lower among white women than among African American women.
- Incidence and death rates for breast cancer are lower among women of other racial and ethnic groups than among white and African American women.
- In the last 25 years the incidence has gone up by 30% in the western world.
- Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer.
- Seventy-seven percent of women with breast cancer are over 50.
- Based on the most recent data, the relative survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer are 89% at five years after diagnosis, 82% after 10 years and 75% after 15 years.
- The first sign of breast cancer usually shows up on a woman's mammogram before it can be felt or before the appearance of any other symptoms.
- Risks for breast cancer include a family history, atypical hyperplasia ( a benign condition in which cells appear to be abnormal under a microscope), delaying pregnancy until after age 30 or never becoming pregnant, early menstruation (before age 12), late menopause (after age 55), use of oral contraceptives currently or in the last ten years of oral and daily consumption of alcohol.
- The risk of breast cancer decreases with breastfeeding, moderate physical activity, maintaining normal and quitting smoking.
- Early detection of breast cancer, through monthly breast self-exam and particularly yearly mammography after age 40, offers the best chance for survival.
- Ninety-six percent of women who opt for early diagnosis and treatment will be cancer-free after five years.
- Over eighty percent of breast lumps are not cancerous. For example, fibrocystic breast disease involves benign breast lumps.
- Breast cancer can be prevented by screening.
- Early treatment can increase the chances of survival for up to 5 years in 98% of patients.
- Women with BRCA mutation can reduce their risk of breast cancer by over 50% if they get their ovaries surgically removed.
- Oral contraceptives may cause a slight increase in breast cancer risk; however 10 years after discontinuing the use of oral contraceptives the risk is the same as for women who never used the pill.
- Estrogen replacement therapy for over 5 years slightly increases the breast cancer risk; however the increased risk appears to disappear 5 to 10 years after discontinuing the use of estrogen replacement therapy.
- You are never too young to develop breast cancer! Breast self-exam should begin by the age of twenty.
October is the breast cancer awareness month. People try to relate themselves with the celebrities and so their role models also take part in the breast cancer awareness campaigns. It is very essential for you to stay updated with the breast cancer facts in order to be a pure part of the "Pink Wave".
