Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in the United States and in many other countries across the world. This is the main reason why one month of the year is specifically devoted to spreading awareness about the condition. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This annual campaign is dedicated to raising awareness about the disease as well as the importance of early detection, treatment, and palliative care. Today, millions of women are surviving the disease, thanks to such public awareness programs for early detection and cure and advanced treatment techniques.
CDC statistics show that in the United States alone, more than 200,000 women get breast cancer and more than 40,000 women die from the disease each year. The CDC also reports that while it is mostly women who are 50 years old or older who get breast cancer, about 10% of all new cases of breast cancer in the US is in women below 45 years of age.
The annual breast awareness campaign encourages organizations and individuals to get involved in helping to change the future of people living with the condition. The American Cancer Society (ACS) fights breast cancer by helping women get tested early. The ACS also educates them about their treatment options and how to cope with the physical and emotional side effects of the disease.
The main risk factors for breast cancer include being a woman, being 50 years old or older, and having certain inherited breast cancer genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2). However, most women who get breast cancer do not have any known risk factors or history of the disease in their families.
Several organizations and groups conduct lectures, events, seminars and discussions as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Fundraiser events are held to collect funds that can be used to help provide mammograms for women in need. Women can find plenty of useful resources at www.cancer.org.
