Early detection key to breast cancer survival

CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Breast cancer is almost entirely part of womens' unfortunate domain. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Less than 1 percent of breast cancer cases are men. In 2005, when 211,400 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States, 1,690 men were diagnosed with the disease. 

The key to survival for both is early detection. 

While 82 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer are age 50 and older, it is the leading cause of cancer death for women 40-55 years old. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in American women. Every woman is at some risk for developing breast cancer. While family history increases a person's risk for developing breast cancer, only 10-20 percent of cases are genetically inherited.

What is the chance of developing breast cancer? Just as with many other diseases, the chances of developing breast cancer increases as a person ages. The odds of getting breast cancer over a lifetime is one in seven, assuming a person lives to age 90. Additional risk factors include family history, childbirth after the age of 30, menses before age 12, menopause after age 55, obesity, prior history of breast cancer, uterus or ovarian cancer, significant radiation exposure to the chest and multiple breast biopsies. 

Race is also a factor for breast cancer in the United States. It occurs more often in white women than Latina, Asian or African-American women. 

See your health care provider if you notice color changes, warmth or swelling. If you notice a lump that is different in size, shape or that is new and continues after the next menstrual cycle. If you are post-menopausal schedule an appointment upon finding any changes in your breasts. For many women nipple discharge is a normal part of life. Squeezing your nipples and hormonal changes encourages discharge to occur. Nipple discharge that occurs spontaneously, that is from only one breast or is bloody, should be reported to a health care provider as soon as possible. 

There are some things that can reduce the risk of breast cancer: 

- Quit smoking. Tobacco use increases your risk for all types of cancer and decreases your immune system. 

- Get more exercise. Research has shown that four hours of exercise a week may lower the risk of breast cancer and can also help boost the immune system. Maintain a healthy weight. Overweight women have an increased risk of getting breast cancer after menopause. Extra fat cells make extra estrogen that might stimulate breast cell growth. 

- Reduce your exposure to estrogen. Women taking hormone therapy for over 5 years with estrogen alone, or with estrogen and progesterone increases their risk by 5-40 percent, but most breast cancers that are diagnosed in women on hormone therapy tend to be very early stage and very treatable.
What can a person do to increase their chances of surviving breast cancer? Early detection is critical to survival. 

- Perform self-examinations once a month. 

- Seek a clinical breast exam (CBE) regularly. Women age 20-39 should have a breast exam every 2-3 years and women over 40 years old should have a CBE performed by a medical professional every year. 

- Get a routine mammogram. Women 40-49 should get a mammogram every 1-2 years and women over 50 should have an annual screening mammogram.

The Maternal Child Flight has joined the fight against breast cancer. During the October there will be additional information on breast cancer readily available at the clinic. There is a table located in the clinic atrium with information and free items. 

The Women's Health Clinic provides walk-in breast exams and mammogram orders the third Friday of each month from 1 to 3:15 p.m. 

For questions or concerns regarding breast health, call the base clinic at 784-2778.