October begins Breast Cancer Awareness Month which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget (or are fearful) to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stage.
Nearly 1 in every 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer over the course of their lifetime, but, when detected early, the disease has a high recovery rate. That is why promoting awareness to women through early detection is essential, because detection is the best protection that women have against breast cancer.
American Cancer Society Guidelines for Early Detection of breast Cancer are as follows:
- Bi-annual mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health.
- Clinical breast exam (CBE) about every 3 years for women in their 20’s and 30’s and every year for women 40 and over.
- Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care provider. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20’s.
Contact your health care provider to learn more about breast cancer detection and scheduling an appointment for a mammogram.