October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a great reminder to women to schedule their annual mammograms. The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the more successfully it can be treated—-making regular mammograms vitally important. Roughly 1 in 8 women in the United States will get breast cancer. Next to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common kind of cancer in women.
Symptoms of breast cancer may include:
• A lump in the breast
• A change in size, shape, or feel of the breast
• Fluid (called “discharge”) from a nipple
Mammograms can help find breast cancer early when there is the best chance for treatment.
- If you are a woman between age 40 and 74 you need a mammogram every year.
- If you are younger than 50 or older than 74, talk with your doctor about whether you need a mammogram.
These are general guidelines. Talk to a doctor about your risk for breast cancer, especially if breast or ovarian cancer runs in your family. Your doctor can help you decide when and how often to get a mammogram.
- You may have heard it before—do breast self-exams.
- Get a mammogram.
- Did you know? Breast cancer can occur in men. According to NCI, about 1,700 men are diagnosed each year.