• Approximately 203,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer
are expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2002; about 1,500
of these cases will be diagnosed in men.
• An estimated 40,000 deaths from breast cancer (39,600 women,
400 men) will occur in 2002. Breast cancer is the second leading cause
of cancer death among women, after lung cancer.
• Breast cancer accounts for nearly one out of every three
cancer diagnoses among women in the United States.
• Numerous studies have shown that early detection saves lives
and increases treatment options. The five-year survival rate for breast
cancer is 96% among individuals whose cancer has not spread beyond
the breast at the time of diagnosis.
• Since 1995, breast cancer mortality has declined by more
3.4% annually.
Risk and Risk Factors
• Gender and age are the most important risk factors. As age
increases, so does the risk of developing breast cancer. In fact,
77% of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are 50 and older.
• Other risk factors include family or personal history of
breast cancer, history of benign breast disease, and lifetime exposure
to estrogen.
Screening
• The American Cancer Society recommends that women 40 and
older have annual mammograms.
• Women 40 and older should also have a clinical breast examination
by a health care professional every year. Women between the ages of
20 and 39 should have a clinical breast examination by a health care
professional every three years.
• Women 20 and older should perform breast self-examinations
(BSE) every month. Regular exams help women become familiar with how
their breasts normally feel, so they can more readily detect changes.
" Women with a family history of breast cancer should discuss
their screening schedule with their health care providers.
Treatment
• Cancer treatment varies widely depending on the type and
stage of cancer, as well as the age and medical history of the patient.
Treatment may include surgery (i.e., lumpectomy or mastectomy), chemotherapy,
radiation therapy, and hormone therapy.
• Patients should discuss treatment options for the best management
of their breast cancer with their health care providers.
Tell A Friend
The goal of the American Cancer Society's Tell A Friend program is
to make sure that every woman who needs a mammogram gets one annually
and to dispel myths surrounding breast cancer.
The American Cancer Society's Tell A Friend program trains volunteers
to contact friends and loved ones and encourage them to get mammograms.
Tell A Friend volunteers contacted more than 244,000 women last year.
Tell A Friend uses a peer-to-peer approach, which has been found to
be very effective in increasing the use of mammography.
Tell A Friend seeks to provide services to everyone - especially
those who are medically underserved or at high risk - and in communities
where disparities in the cancer burden exist.
The American Cancer Society seeks volunteers and collaborating organizations
with close links to women who may need special encouragement to get
regular mammograms and to women who may need answers to questions
such as:
• Where do I get a mammogram?
• How much do mammograms cost?
• Do mammograms hurt?
• When should I get a mammogram?
Some Tell A Friend partners include churches and religious groups,
service organizations, community action organizations, breast cancer
advocacy groups, health care professional organizations, neighborhood
organizations, tenant groups, women's clubs, senior centers, health
care facilities, TV and radio stations, and local businesses and industries.
Partners can contribute by recruiting volunteers, promoting community
awareness of the importance of mammography, providing screening services,
underwriting the promotional activities, providing incentives and
gifts to volunteer callers, and sponsoring a Tell A Friend program
with American Cancer Society support.
To become a Tell A Friend volunteer or partner organization, contact
your American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345.
Five Things to Tell Your Friends About Breast Cancer
1. All women are at risk for breast cancer - even those who have
no family history of the disease.
2. The two greatest risk factors for breast cancer are being a woman
and growing older.
3. Survival rates are high for women diagnosed with early stage breast
cancer, when the cancer is small and has not spread. Get annual mammograms
beginning at age 40, and start regular breast exams by your doctor
and monthly breast self-exams at age 20.
4. Smart strategies to reduce your risk of cancer include regular
physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and limiting alcohol
intake.
5. Through early detection and improved treatment, more women than
ever are beating breast cancer.
Tell your friends, your family - any women you care about. You could
save a life.
Five Ways the American Cancer Society Fights Breast Cancer
1. Unraveling the mystery of cancer through groundbreaking research
2. Saving lives by encouraging early cancer detection
3. Helping women make informed personal health decisions based on
the latest information
4. Supporting patients and survivors, family members, and friends
with a variety of programs and community services
5. Advocating with lawmakers to increase government funding for research
and access to screening and care for all women
For more information on breast cancer risk and early detection,
or to find out how you can get actively involved in educating women
about this disease, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345
or at www.cancer.org.
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