October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by Jen Nedeau

Published October 07, 2008 @ 01:39PM PT

In addition to being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, this October serves another purpose: to elevate awareness about the most common cancer affecting women - breast cancer. As someone who has had several family members deal with breast cancer, I urge every woman to research this disease and know who may have experienced it in your family. This year alone there have been nearly 200,000 new cases of breast cancer in women and 2,000 in men. Approximately 40,480 females and 450 males have died this year because of this disease.

Everyone - male or female - should know the most common risk factors for breast cancer, provided by to the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign:

Sex. The highest risk factor for breast cancer is being female; the disease is about 100 times more common among women.

Age. The risk of breast cancer increases as a woman grows older. The risk is especially high for women age 60 and older. Breast cancer is uncommon in women younger than age 35, although it does occur. There is some evidence to suggest young African American women are at greater risk for breast cancer than young Caucasian women

Personal History. Women who have had breast cancer and women with a history of breast disease (not cancer, but a condition that may predispose them to cancer) may develop it again.

Family History. The risk of developing breast cancer increases for a woman whose mother, sister, daughter, or two or more close relatives have had the disease. It is important to know how old they were at the time they were diagnosed.

The Breast Cancer Genes. Some individuals, both women and men, may be born with an "alteration" (or change) in one of two genes that are important for regulating breast cell growth. Individuals who inherit an alteration in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene are at an "inherited" higher risk for breast cancer. They also may pass this alteration on to their children.

Lastly, don't just check your breasts, but check your vote. The American Titty Committee (yeah, I know, the name is sort of appalling) made the following video which not only raises awareness about breast cancer, but also offers information about which Presidential nominees will support your breasts while in office.