Ah, October. The month of Halloween, pumpkin flavored everything and the true beginning of fall. All of these things are great, but it’s also Breast Cancer Awareness Month (aka it’s acceptable to wear pink on days that aren’t Wednesday).
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer during their lives. It’s estimated that, in 2015, about 231,840 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in women and about 40,290 women will die from breast cancer. There are more than 2.8 million survivors in the U.S. today. Breast cancer can affect anyone at any time, men included. About 2,350 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men and about 440 men will die from it. It is about 100 times less common in men than in women, but it’s still possible.
The key is early detection. The most common symptom is a lump or mass. Once you’re in your 20s, you should be giving self-breast exams regularly. It’s also important to check areas around the breast like your lymph nodes under your arm and around the collarbone. If you find an abnormal lump, you should show it to your doctor immediately. Information on self-exams and mammograms can be found here and here. There’s also a FREE app from The Keep a Breast organization that provides a step-by-step visual guide for self-exams and lets you set reminders on when your next self-exam is. Being that 40% of diagnosed cases have been detected with the help of self-exams, there’s no reason not to get this app. It’s available on iOS and Android.
Want to get involved in the fight against breast cancer? Retailers such as Forever21, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Lokai have partnered with different breast cancer foundations and are now offering pink versions of their products. Parts of the proceeds from the items you buy are donated to help with breast cancer research. You can also check out events such as Making Strides and Race for a Cure or simply just donate. There are also great books from survivors like Make Mine a Double…a Mastectomy That is by Beth Kaufman (she’s also the mom of one of Her Campus Kent State’s writers!).
Your age, lifestyle and genetics are all factors for breast cancer so it’s always important to be on the lookout. Keep an eye out for anything that doesn’t seem normal and remember, check yourself!