Remember to Get Regular Screenings for Breast Cancer

Perhaps you’ve known, as I have, many women who have experienced breast cancer. Some have undergone lumpectomies and others have bilateral mastectomies, which results in the removal of both breasts. These women experienced the uncertainty of how far the cancer had spread and the process of recovering from surgery, while demonstrating great courage and resilience.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a time to emphasize the importance of getting recommended screenings, having the surgery needed to address the cancer, and having access to support after the diagnosis, surgery, and treatment.  

According to the National Cancer Institute, approximately 310,720 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 and an estimated 42,250 will die as a result. Men can also get breast cancer, though it is far rarer. An estimated 2,790 men will be diagnosed with the disease in 2024 and about 530 will die from it.

Breast cancer is the most common type of non-skin cancer in women in the United States, accounting for 30 percent of all new cancer cases in women. It is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in American women. About one of every eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer during their lifetimes.

Sadly, outcomes for women with breast cancer in Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities are worse and mortality rates are higher.

I had the great opportunity to learn about some important agencies at the BIPOC Health Fair on Saturday, Aug. 31 in Tacoma. It featured some wonderful attendees and organizations that support women, particularly women of color. 

For example, the Carol Milgard Breast Center in Tacoma provides breast imaging, including screenings and diagnostics, and the Mahogany Circle of Hope is a support group for cancer survivors and caregivers that promotes hope, healing, and happiness among cancer patients and their supporters.

Types of breast cancer

• The most common form is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the cells of the ducts.
• A cancer that begins in the lobes or lobules and is called lobular carcinoma. This type is more often found in both breasts, compared to other types.
• Hereditary breast cancer makes up 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancer diagnoses. Women who have mutations in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, can have a higher level of risk.
• Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of cancer in which the breast is warm, red, and swollen.

Risk factors for developing breast cancer

• Being female and older in age
• Having dense breast tissue
• Family history of breast cancer
• Early onset of menstruation
• Older age when giving birth for the first time
• The use of hormones for symptoms of menopause
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise

For men, radiation exposure, high levels of estrogen, and a family history of breast cancer can increase risk of the disease.

Resources

• Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program at Public Health – Seattle & King County helps eligible clients get screened for cancer and access treatment if they are uninsured.
• Cancer Lifeline helps cancer patients build strength through support groups, classes in nutrition, exercise, personal expression, stress reduction, and personalized emotional support.
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a Breast Cancer webpage that explains screening tests, how to reduce risks, and much more.
• Mammogram information page by the U.S. Office on Women’s Health explains these low-dose x-ray examinations of the breasts to look for changes that are not normal.

Quotes and inspirational writings can be powerful ways to communicate messages, and I found this from a cancer survivor:

“My cancer diagnosis was the permission slip I never needed to start being more intentional with my life and time. I have softened into my hard edges. I spent so many years shaming and picking apart my body, trying to improve and perfect it. Now I stand in awe of what my body is capable of — its resilience, and everything else I had taken for granted. Cancer has made me a more compassionate, more intentional person.”
̶  Author and poet Danielle Doby

For the health of our community, encourage people to get regular breast cancer screenings. Every life matters!

Contributor Mary Pat O’Leary, RN, BSN and a senior planner with Aging and Disability Services, the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle-King County.