Breast Cancer Awareness and Support

In the United States, breast cancer accounts for about 30% of all new cancer cases in women each year, according to breastcancer.org. While screening and treatment have caused breast cancer death rates to drop, breast cancer diagnoses continue to rise. 

Raising awareness, early detection, and advancements in breast cancer treatments have saved more than half a million lives. That’s why it’s important to know the signs, how and when to get screened, and what options are available.

Breast Cancer Basics

Many people believe that breast cancer begins with a new lump or mass, but many types may not cause a lump at all. Cancer cells form in the breast and begin to grow out of control, becoming tumors. Those tumors may grow into surrounding tissues or spread to other areas of the body. Stages of breast cancer are determined by how far cancer cells have spread beyond the original tumor.

Breast cancer can start in different parts of the breast. Treatment options may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and other targeted therapies.

Let's Talk Symptoms and Early Detection

Finding breast cancer early and getting treatment are the most important steps to surviving this disease. Cancer is easiest to treat when found early because the cells are small and haven’t yet spread. Screenings are tests and exams used to find disease in people who may or may not have symptoms.

Symptoms of breast cancer can include,

• A change in how breasts or nipples look or feel, such as nipple tenderness, lump, or thickening in or near the breast, and a change in skin texture in the skin of the breast.
• Any unexplained change in size or shape, swelling, shrinkage, or recent asymmetry of the breast.
• Nipples turned slightly inward or inverted.
• Skin of the breast, areola, or nipple becomes scaly, red, or swollen, or may have ridges or pitting resembling an orange
• Nipple discharge that is clear or bloody. If milky discharge is present when you are not breastfeeding, talk with your doctor, although its not liked with breast cancer.

Monthly self-exams, in addition to getting annual mammograms, are an important way to monitor your body and recognize if anything has changed.

A mammogram is an x-ray that produces an image of the breast tissue and allows a specialist to examine the breast tissue for any suspicious areas. Mammograms are important to get because it can often show a breast lump before it can be felt and allow for further testing.

Women over 40 and older should have mammograms every year. Women under 40 with risk factors of breast cancer such as family history of breast cancer or a genetic mutation, should ask their primary care provider about receiving a mammogram and how often.

Monthly self-exams are an early detection tool that uses both physical and visual examinations of your breasts to check for signs and symptoms. When you’re familiar with your breasts, it is easier to notice unusual changes. Any changes in your breasts discovered in your self-exam should be reported to your healthcare provider right away.

Adult women of all ages should perform breast self-exams at least once a month. It’s reported that 40% of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump further emphasizing the importance behind breast self-exams. Perform breast self-exams in the shower, in front of a mirror, and lying down. To learn more about the self-breast exam, visit National Breast Cancer Foundation

To learn more about the importance of breast health and mammograms, check out our Breast Cancer Tool Kit. Need to schedule your annual mammogram? Talk to your provider today.

Thriving and Surviving

Join us on October 15th for the 19th Annual Breast Cancer Symposium for an interactive panel discussion with Frederick Health experts as they share advice and updates on genetic testing, how to manage treatment side effects, wellbeing, and more.  

Registration is required. For more information, visit our event page. 

More Information

For more information on breast cancer signs and symptoms, visit our About Breast Cancer page. If you find a lump, pain, or any changes in your breasts or nipples, reach out to your provider right away. Schedule your annual mammogram and perform monthly self-exams.