October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In October we wear pink. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and people wear anything and everything pink to honor survivors, remember those lost their lives to the disease, and to support the progress we are making together to defeat breast cancer.

This makes it a good time for a few reminders about this disease, which accounts for about a quarter of worldwide cancer cases.

Breast cancer facts and fiction

According to the organization Breastcancer.org, there are certain myths about breast cancer that are hard to squelch. One of the biggies: If I don’t have a family history of breast cancer, I won’t get it. That’s incorrect. Most people diagnosed with breast cancer have no known family history. Another myth: Men don’t get breast cancer. The truth is, it’s rare, but it happens. In the U.S., around 1 of every 100 breast cancer diagnoses are in men. Take a moment to review more facts and fiction when it comes to breast cancer.

What’s within my control?

While you can’t alter some risk factors like genetics, age, and certain prior diseases, there are certain things you can do to take preventative steps. For starters, keep up with your annual wellness checks. Watco fully covers wellness exams for team members and their spouses and dependents covered by Watco health insurance.

Mammograms

Mammograms don’t catch all breast cancer, but these low-dose X-rays are the most effective tool for detecting breast cancer, so they’re important. Women are encouraged to get them with this frequency:

Ages 40-44 – option to start annual screens

Ages 45-54 – annual mammograms are recommended

Age 55 and older – mammograms are recommended every two years

Self-exams

Look for any changes: lumps, thickening, dimpling, redness, flaky skin, or nipples that pucker, are sore, or discharge.

Lifestyle

Knowing the following risk factors and making realistic changes could make a difference.

• Alcohol – The breast cancer risk for women who have three drinks a week is 15% higher than for those who don’t drink.

• Excess weight – It increases the risk for 12 cancer types, including breast cancer.

• Being inactive – Women (especially post-menopausal women) who get regular exercise have a 10% to 20% lower risk of breast cancer than those who don’t exercise regularly.

• Taking hormones – This can raise the risk, depending on type and duration.

Resources

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with breast cancer or you would like more information, there are many free resources available. For further information, these are just some of the organizations that provide breast cancer programming, resources, and research: the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the American Breast Cancer Foundation, and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.