True Colors: Our Fight Against Breast Cancer Knows No Bounds

Chances are you or someone you know has been affected by breast cancer. By now you know the pink ribbon signifies our collective fight against it. We are reminded by T-shirts, campaigns and, most notably, the stories that make it real.

But breast cancer is greedy and opportunistic. It claims or alters the lives of too many – adding to the names, faces and families struck by the disease, an illness that often can be lessened through early detection.

Breast cancer occurs when cells within the breast tissue divide and grow abnormally. Except for skin cancer, it is the most common cancer in American women. An estimated 2.8 million women are currently living with breast cancer in the United States. It can be deadly, accounting for about 40,000 deaths in 2013.[i]

Mammography screening helps identify breast cancer early before there are symptoms, which lowers the risk of dying. The five-year survival rate for people who discovered breast cancer when it was still “localized” is nearly 99 percent.[ii]

They say in sports that the best defense is a good offense. It’s true with breast cancer, too.

We know, for instance, that treatment for breast cancer is more likely to be successful when the breast cancer is found early. That is why it’s important to discuss with your doctor if a mammogram would be recommended for you, beginning at age 40, and make sure you get a mammogram every two years at age 50 or older.

This is just one example of the many things you can do that may have an impact on your health. We’re asking you to take time out this week to make that appointment for a routine checkup and an appropriate screening mammogram, if you haven’t already. Then, ask your friends and family if they’ve done the same. Maybe you’ll be their inspiration.

The bottom line is the risks of getting breast cancer increase as women age. One out of eight invasive breast cancers are found in women under age 45. In women 55 and older, that number jumps to two out of three breast cancers.[iii] Mammograms have been shown to lower the risk of dying from breast cancer by 35 percent in women over the age of 50.[iv]

“Mammograms aren’t perfect, but they are the best tool we have in detecting breast cancer early when it’s most treatable,” said C. Brian Shipp, south region Medicaid government business division president at WellPoint. “Preventive care mammograms are a covered benefit among health insurance plans at no extra cost. And they generally take less than 20 minutes.

It’s recommended that women take these following preventive actions:

• Eat healthily and get exercise.
• Keep a healthy weight, especially later in life. Local social services organizations may be available for those who need help finding nutritious meals. To check for these resources, visit www.benefitscheckup.org.
• Limit alcohol. And if you need help to quit drinking, seek counseling.
• Don’t smoke or quit if you do. A recent study by American Cancer Society found that current smokers had a 12 percent higher risk of breast cancer than women who never smoked.
• Talk to a doctor. Your relationship with your doctor is important. Talk to him or her about getting regular mammograms.

Anyone who is concerned about breast cancer, or who has symptoms, such as a lump, swelling, redness or irritation, should contact their doctor. For more information about breast cancer, visit http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month or http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/twitter.htm

This information is intended for educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider for advice about treatments that may affect your health.

[i] http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-ke...
[ii] http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html
[iii] http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/moreinformation/breastcancerea...
[iv] http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/mammograms/benefits_r...