Editorial

Early detection is key to surviving breast cancer

Posted

Despite years of research and publicity, breast cancer remains the second leading cause of death among women, behind only heart disease.

The good news is that millions of women are surviving today because their cancer was found and treated early. Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed each October, has enhanced public understanding of the disease, with everything from walks at Jones Beach to NFL stars’ wearing hot pink chinstraps.

Because knowledge of the causes of breast cancer remains limited, early detection remains the cornerstone of the battle against it, and in the U.S., most breast cancers are found at an early stage, thanks to mammography. But experts say that not all cancers are detected in mammograms. Further complicating detection is the fact that the warning signs of cancer are not the same for all women.

Here are some of the most common symptoms:
• A lump, knot or thickening under the breast or in the underarm area.
• Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast.
• Change in the size or shape of the breast.
• Dimpling or puckering of the skin.
• An itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple.
• A pulling-in, or retraction, of the nipple or other parts of the breast.
• Discharge from the nipple.
• New pain in one spot that does not go away.

Rates of breast cancer vary among different age and ethnic groups, but according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, there will be 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer among American women this year — not counting recurrence of breast cancer among survivors — and 40,290 deaths from the disease.

Although family history plays a role, most cases are diagnosed in women with no such history. However, the American Cancer Society advises that those with a family history of breast cancer should talk to their doctors about genetic testing for mutations in genes that increase the risk of the disease.

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