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October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month which is a campaign to bring awareness to the disease.

One in eight women in the United States has a chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life and an estimated 230,000 women will develop breast cancer this year. However, nearly 90 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer survive for at least five years, which is why early detection, screening, and personalized treatments are key when it comes to saving lives. Here are some tips for reducing your risk of breast cancer.

Tips for Breast Cancer Prevention
• Limit alcohol and don’t smoke. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. Limit yourself to no more than one drink a day. Some studies link smoking to increase risks of developing breast cancer.
• Control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.
• Be physically active. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. The recommended activity is 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly.
• Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy that contain both estrogen and progesterone and are given to women after menopause should be avoided.

Understanding Risk and Options
• Know Your Genes & Family History: Five to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutations (commonly in BRCA1 & BRCA2) and 15 percent of women who get breast cancer have a family member with the disease.

 

October 21 is National Mammography Day. Make plans now by contacting your health care provider to schedule you a mammogram.  And remember if you have other questions regarding breast cancer or the screening process please contact your health care provider today.