Facts that you must know
The League of Women Against Cancer
wants to help women recover the joy and pride of being women by eliminating the
fear of breast cancer. Statistics, however, are frightening.
Some Facts:
- One out of eight American women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
180,000 cases will be diagnosed in 1997.
- Breast cancer is diagnosed more frequently
after menopause.
- Being young is not an insurance against breast cancer; 14 out of 100
women diagnosed with breast cancer are younger than age 45.
- Breast cancer is not only
a woman's disease. One percent of breast cancers are developed by men.
Who is at Risk?
Every woman is at risk of developing
breast cancer!
At greater risk are women who have no children,
or whose first child was born after age 30, or who had an abortion at age 18 or younger.
Women who received irradiation to the chest, due to tuberculosis or scoliosis in childhood
are at greater risk. Five percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a
"family history" of cancer of the breast and/or the ovary in mother, sisters, aunts or
even paternal relatives. 75% of women diagnosed with the disease have no specific risk
factors.
Factors that Modify Risk
Factors that increase risk:
- Age older than 50
- 1st period before age 12
- Menopause after age 50
- Never having had children
- 1st birth after age 30
- Having a family history
of breast or ovarian cancer
- Previous breast cancer
Factors that
decrease risk:
- Regular exercise
- Low fat diet
- Maintain ideal
body weight
- Avoid alcohol
- Avoid tobacco
- Breast feeding
Factors
that don't affect risk:
- Trauma to breast
- Mammography
- Type or use of bras
- Large or small breast size
- Air or water pollution
What Can Be Done?
Be active in early detection of breast cancer.
The American Cancer Society recommends:
- Monthly breast self examination
- Yearly clinical examination by a physician or healthcare provider
- Mammography - baseline evaluation by age 40 then yearly after 40
Critical: Do not let any "lump" go unchecked.
Men with suspicious lumps
in the breast should also be evaluated.
Available Services:
- Mammography services are available at your neighborhood hospital as well as many
outpatient radiology sites
- make certain that the site has ACR accreditation
For Low Cost Services:
- All states have programs which provide free
or low cost services to women with financial need and litle or no insurance
- Many hospitals and often the ACS provice low-cost mammograms particularly in October
and May.
- To find about these services call The Cancer Information Service at
1-800-4-CANCER.
For Information/Educational Materials:
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