By Laura Tomah
Yeardisc editor
ncerous cause of death in women, the first being lung cancer according to the American Cancer Society. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is celebrating its 25th year.
Last year alone, there were 39,520 deaths according to the ACS. The most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States suggest that there are about 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women.
“Breast cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the breast, usually the ducts (tubes that carry milk to the nipple) and lobules (glands that make milk). It occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare,” according to the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month website.
Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy are the basic treatment choices for breast cancer, though they may or may not be included in the treatment regimen, depending on hormonal involvement in the growth of the tumor, according to the website.
Daily lifestyle decisions may affect breast cancer risk in women. Everyday choices involve factors such as poor diet, insufficient physical activity, alcohol use and smoking. Eliminating these risk factors will not only help reduce your risk for breast cancer, but improve your overall quality of life, according to NBCAM.
Women 40 and over should have a mammogram annually, and women from the ages of 20 to 39 should have a mammogram every three years at least. Early detection is still the best method for finding and treating breast cancer, according to NBCAM.
The fitness franchise Curves is giving women an incentive to be aware by offering to wave the membership fee with proof of mammogram in past year or a $25 donation to breast cancer research.