Breast
Cancer Facts
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer among
women. The World Health Organization has estimated that there will
be 1.2 million new breast cancer cases and 500,000 deaths from the
disease will have occurred worldwide in the year 2000.
The incidence
of this disease has increased by approximately one percent per year
since 1950. Between 1970 and 1990 the number of breast cancer cases
nearly doubled. The reported cases of invasive breast cancer tumors
have remained level since 1990, but rates for in situ tumors have
continued to rise.
The figures
for 2000 have not been released yet, but it is estimated that 175,000
American women were diagnosed with breast cancer. The 1999 figure
for expected deaths from breast cancer in the United States is 43,400
women.
The average
American woman has a 1 in 9 lifetime chance of getting breast cancer
and a 1 in 29 lifetime chance of dying from this disease.
More
Americans were lost to breast cancer in the last 20 years than in
all the wars of the twenthieth century.
Breast
cancer is a family disease
Of the cases diagnosed, 40 percent of the women are under 60. These
are women with parents, husbands and often children at home. Having
a child, parent, wife, relative or close friend with breast cancer
affects everyone. The battle against the illness is waged by you
and your loved ones.
Men
are also at risk
They are usually diagnosed later, because breast cancer is a "women's"
disease. Logically, breast cancer is no more embarassing than lung
cancer, but that is usually a man's first reaction. This often causes
delays in treatment. The more advanced the cancer is, the more difficult
it is to treat effectively. In 1998 there were 1,000 American men
diagnosed with breast cancer. The estimate figure for 1999 is 1,300
men were diagnosed and 400 died from breast cancer.
Can
Breast Cancer Be Prevented?
There
is no way to predict who will get breast cancer. It's like trying
to predict who will get hit by a car.
- In
1950 the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer was 1 in 20.
- The
current odds for an American women are 1 in 9 that she will develop
breast cancer during her lifetime.
- The
incidence of breast cancer increases with age.
- The
risk for developing breast cancer exists whether or not there is
a family history of the disease.
- Only
10% of the diagnosed cases were linked to a family history of breast
cancer.
More
than half of all cases of breast cancer in the United States can be
attributed to a few well-known risk factors. Knowing these and taking
steps to reduce your risk may help you to prevent this disease.
Some
Of The Risk Factors Are Out Of Your Control
Your age, a family history of the disease, early onset of menstruation,
and a history of previous benign breast biopsies are some factors
that there just isn't much you can do to change. But even if you fall
into the part of the population that has these risk factors, there
are still steps you can take to minimize your chance of developing
breast cancer.
You
Can Reduce Some Risk Factors
There are life style changes that we do know increase the chance that
you will remain cancer free, but there are no guarantees. Some people
who do everything wrong never get breast cancer and others who are
extremely careful will develop this disease. There are even rare cases
of women who have had both breasts removed to prevent cancer and still
develop a tumor.
Are
You ar Risk for Breast Cancer - Page 2
