Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The purpose of this month is to raise awareness of the disease and to educate the public on the importance of detecting it early. 

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting U.S. women. Nearly one in eight will develop this cancer at some point in their lifetime. Many women can survive a breast cancer diagnosis if it's detected and treated at an early stage. There are also steps that can be taken to lower your risk of ever developing breast cancer. See below for a list of ways to lower your risk and for a list of the more common signs and symptoms associated with breast cancer.

Preventive Measures:

• Perform a self-exam on both breasts once a month. Click here to learn how to perform a breast self-exam.
• Get a mammogram every year once you turn 40.
• If you drink alcohol, don't drink more than one standard drink a day.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Be physically active.
• Genetic testing for gene mutations may be worth considering if you have a strong family history of breast cancer. If you and your doctor decide on genetic testing and a genetic mutation is found, you may consider preventive surgery to lower your risk of developing breast cancer.

Signs and Symptoms:

• Change in appearance:
• Swelling of the breast
• Dimpling of the breast
• Inverted nipple
• Skin changes (redness, scaling or thickening)
• Change in feeling:
• Breast or nipple pain
• Breast or nipple tenderness
• Lump in the breast
• Nipple discharge (if you are not breastfeeding)

Click here to learn more about Breast Cancer Awareness Month.