Breast Cancer

• Each year in the U.S. more than 170,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and 39,600 will die from the disease
• Over half of all breast cancers are found by women themselves
• Most breast cancers occur in women who have no family history or other known risk factor
• The good news is that when breast cancer is found early, it is almost always curable

Risk factors for breast cancer:

• Increasing age
• Ashkenazi descent
• Mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer before menopause or father with a breast cancer diagnosis
• Having first child after age 30 or never being pregnant
• Previous personal history of breast or ovarian cancer
• Personal history of having breast biopsies
• Personal history of being diagnosed with atypical cells of the breast
• Late onset of menopause (average age is 51)
• Onset of menstruation before age 12

Signs of breast cancer:

• Any new, hard lump or thickening in the breast or under the arm
• Change in the size, shape or color of the breast
• Dimpling or puckering of the breast tissue
• Swelling, redness or warmth that does not go away
• Pain in one spot that does not vary with your menstrual cycle
• Nipple discharge or bleeding that starts suddenly and appears in only one breast
• An itchy, sore or scaling area on one nipple
• Nipple inversion

What can I do?

• Consider self-breast exams monthly
• Consider clinical breast exams annually
• If you are 40 years or older, have a mammogram every 1-2 years
• Eat a healthy diet, limit fat
• Limit alcohol intake
• Aerobic exercise, 30-60 minutes per day, 5-7 days a week

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