Defending Against Breast Cancer: Knowledge is your best defence!
What you should know
Breast cancer is common. The older you get, the higher your risk of breast cancer. At age 30, the risk is one in 6,000 per year. At 40, one in 1,200; at 50, one in 550 per year. Early detection is the key. You can detect a lump through a breast self-exam, a breast exam by a health professional or a mammogram. Most breasts are lumpy during a woman’s menstrual cycle. If a lump doesn’t go away after a full cycle, see your doctor immediately. Remember, in many cases, a lumpectomy followed by radiation is as effective as a mastectomy (a mastectomy removes the entire breast, a lumpectomy removes a section of the breast).
What you can do
- Maintain a well-balanced diet
- Reduce fat and eat more nutritious, high-fibre foods
- Exercise on a regular basis
- Learn how to examine your breasts and examine them monthly
- Know your breasts well enough to notice a change
- Schedule annual mammograms. A mammogram can detect a lump two years before you can feel it.
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Sources of information and support
- Cancer News
- American Cancer Society
- National Breast Cancer Coalition
- Cancer Research UK
- Hispanic Women and Breast Cancer
- African American Woman Speak out about Breast Cancer
