October marks the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness month. It marks an important and needed awareness for a disease that affects women’s health. Breast Cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. This month, Maxim is donating 5% of our website proceeds to the American Cancer Society. According to the American Cancer Society Statistics Center, an estimated 43,600 women will die from breast cancer in 2021. They also go on to say that this year there will mark 284,200 new cases making it the most diagnosed cancer. So to raise awareness to this detrimental disease that affects many women, here is a list of 10 facts about breast cancer.
1. Younger Women Can and Do Get Breast Cancer
According to a scientific paper published by the American Cancer Society, 13,050 women under 40 developed breast cancer between 2019-2020 with 1,070 as the mortality. While they say that risk increases with age, that does not mean you will not get it at a young age. Be sure to do breast self exams, an important check for a woman’s health. According to breastcancer.org, self exams should be done at least once a month. They also recommend to do it several days after your period ends because your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you no longer have periods, do one at the beginning or end of the month so you’re more likely to remember. If you’d like to familiarize yourself with self examinations, as well as see how to preform one, you can read about it here.
2. You Have A Chance of Developing Breast Cancer if You Have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 Gene
The National Cancer Institute defines BRCA1 (BReast CAncer gene 1) and BRCA2 (BReast CAncer gene 2) as genes that produce proteins to help repair damaged DNA. Everyone has these genes but you can develop a harmful version of this gene that increases the chances of developing several different cancers. While 55%–72% of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 variant and 45%–69% of women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 variant will develop breast cancer during the age range of 70–80, it doesn’t guarantee that you will have breast cancer. If you discover you have these harmful variants, you can take protective measures by surgical intervention or taking Tamoxifen, a hormone therapy used to block estrogen in the breast tissue.
3. Finding A Lump in Your Breast Does NOT Mean You Have Breast Cancer
This is an important women’s health fact! While you should still do breast exams annually and at home, finding a lump does not mean you have breast cancer. Sometimes what feels like a lump could end up being a cyst in the breast. Mayo Clinic defines breast cysts as sacs within the breast filled with fluid and are usually non-cancerous. They will feel like a grape, a water balloon or very rarely they can be firm. However, if you find a cyst, you should always talk to your doctor about it so they could do further testing to determine if it is cancerous or not. Your doctor will end up doing a mammography or ultrasound to determine if it’s cancerous or not.
4. Stage IV Breast Cancer is Known as Metastasis Breast Cancer
According to breastcancer.org, Metastatic Breast Cancer is known as Stage IV. It spreads to other parts of the body with the most common places being the liver, brain, bones or lungs. This occurs because the cancer cells break away and travel to other parts of the body through the blood stream or lymphatic system, a network of nodes that remove bacteria, viruses and cell waste.
5. Breast Cancer is More Common in Your Left Breast Than Right
According to The University of Kansas Cancer Center, breast cancer occurs more frequently in the left breast than the right. It is 5%-10% more likely to develop cancer than the right breast. Researchers are unsure about this phenomenon and why it occurs but you should double check your left breast when doing self examinations.
6. Men Can Get Breast Cancer Too
Breast Cancer doesn’t just affect women’s health. According to the American Cancer Society Statistics Center, it is estimated 2,650 men will develop breast cancer with the mortality rate being 530 this year. To learn more about breast cancer in men, you can read about it here.
7. Breast Cancer is Not Caused By Wearing A Bra or Using Deodorant
A study in 2014 confirmed there is no link between wearing a bra and breast cancer despite a women’s health myth saying that an underwire bra can block lymph fluid drainage and build up toxins in the breast according to breastcancer.org.
Another rumor similar to the one about wearing a bra was that antiperspirants stopped underarm sweating, preventing the underarm lymph nodes from releasing of toxins. Other rumors relating to deodorant was that underarm aluminum antiperspirants, are absorbed by the lymph nodes into breast cells. They go on to say shaving your underarms creates tiny nicks allowing chemicals to enter the body. While natural deodorants are better for the environment and safer to use, there is simply no connection between deodorant and breast cancer.
8. Breast Cancer is Not Contagious
Breast Cancer involves mutated cells that spread through breast tissue. It spreads throughout an individual’s body, but certainly cannot be contracted by anyone else. The National Breast Cancer Foundation says practicing a healthy lifestyle and awareness of what increases risk, can reduce breast cancer.
9. High Hormone Levels Increase Breast Cancer
The National Cancer Institute says a women’s risk of breast cancer is related to the levels of estrogen and progesterone made by her ovaries. High levels or increased exposure to these hormones increases the risk of breast cancer. High levels mean, experiencing early periods or late menopause. This can also be due to an older first pregnancy or not having a child.
A hormone drug, Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a form of estrogen that was given to pregnant women between 1940 and 1971. It prevented miscarriages, premature labor, and similar problems with pregnancy. The drug increased the risk of breast cancer in the users. It also increased cancer in the vagina or cervix for the daughters of women who took DES. Currently, a study is being done to see any effects on the sons and grandchildren of women who took DES.
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10. In the US, There Are 3.8 Million Breast Cancer Survivors
According to the American Cancer Society, there are 3.8 million Breast Cancer survivors. This includes people who are completing treatment and those who have completed treatment. While breast cancer can look scary, these survivors prove it’s a women’s health issue that can be beaten with awareness.