Breast Cancer

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Double D-uty

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

rib6This month is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as staggering as the statistics are, we all probably know someone who has been affected by breast cancer. 

Breast cancer is still the second most lethal cancer in women, second to lung cancer and about 40,410 women in the United States will die from breast cancer this year.  There have been some great medical strides and new treatments for those diagnosed which have improved survival rates.  The 5-year survival rate for women diagnosed with cancer is 80% and about 88% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will survive at least 10 years.  Early detection is key.

So what can you do to help reduce the incidence of breast cancer?  BREASTFEED YOUR BABY!

Breastfeeding your baby is not only a wonderful gift to him, but it can help to save your life.  The benefits to mother and baby are innumerable but one of the latest discovered benefits is that breastfeeding can reduce your risk of breast cancer (by almost 60% if you have a family history).  “Numerous studies have found that the longer women breastfeed, the more they’re protected against breast and ovarian cancer. For breast cancer, nursing for at least a year appears to have the most protective effect. It’s not entirely clear how breastfeeding helps, but structural changes in breast tissue caused by breastfeeding and the fact that lactation suppresses the amount of estrogen your body produces may play roles. Researchers think the effect on ovarian cancer may be related to estrogen suppression as well” (How breastfeeding benefits you and your child  Babycenter.com).

Here are some additional ways to protect yourself and to remind others that early detection is key and that we can make a difference in the fight to end this second leading cause of death in women:

  • do self breast exams (this is the most common way to detect breast cancer)
  • have a mammogram
  • wear a pink ribbon
  • donate to breast cancer research
  • educate your daughter/sister/granddaughter/another woman on the issue and early detection
  • know your family history
  • involve your public officials

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