Breast Cancer Awareness Month just so happens to fall in October, and in order to show awareness and support one should wear a pink ribbon loud and proud.
Breast cancer is a disease caused when the breast cells grow abnormally and form tumors. It is most common in women and people assigned female at birth. But it can also be found in men and people assigned male at birth. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with Breast cancer in their lifetime while 1 in 1000 men will be diagnosed with Breast cancer in their lifetime.
Breast cancer has 4 stages. Stage 1, almost 100% of women survive for nearly five years after diagnosis. Stage 2, it lessens to 90% of women surviving for five years after diagnosis. Stage 3 is more than 70% and Stage 4 is more than 25%. The death rate has been declining since 1989 due to technological advancements made in the medical field and an expansion in the access of medical services. While white women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African American, Latina, and Asian women, African American women are more likely to develop a more aggressive and advanced stage of the cancer, along with a higher chance of death. Nevertheless, all women who are 50 years old or older should get screened for breast cancer. It can bring a feel for safety as many women who do get diagnosed later on in life are already at a later, more aggressive stage of cancer. As they say “it is better to be safe than sorry” due to the later many women diagnosed, the cancer will be at a more threatening stage.
Breast Cancer Awareness month aims to encourage those with breast cancer to fight against it. Even though breast cancer is not contagious,it can be passed down by genetics, hence it is important to know your family’s history. There is no cure for breast cancer for now, but there are treatments like surgery to remove the tumor of cancer, chemotherapy which uses drugs to shrink and kill the cancer, radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to kill the cancer, hormonal therapy which blocks the hormones that the caner need to grow, and immunotherapy which is a medicine to help the body’s immune system fight the cancer. However, breast cancer might still recur as it cannot be permanently cured. Therefore, it is crucial to get a body check yearly to monitor your health. So, give support to the families, survivors, and patients with breast cancer and if you want to learn more, talk to your doctor.
