What You Should Know About Breast Cancer | Biodermis.com

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that affect women and their families every year. For this reason, it is important to know as much about this disease so you can help yourself or others who may be at risk. In this article, we will go over some interested facts and statistics about breast cancer. Spreading awareness for breast cancer may encourage women to get regular checkups at their doctor, which may end up saving lives.   

How common is it?

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common forms of cancer in women. One in eight women (about 13%) in the United States will develop breast cancer during the course of their lives. In 2022, there will be an estimated 287,850 new cases diagnosed among women. On average, a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer ever two minutes.

Malignant vs. benign

Cancer starts out as a tumor, which is an abnormal growth of body tissue that occurs when cells grow and divide out of control. When breast cancer is malignant, it is invasive and will spread to other areas of the body if left untreated. If invasive breast cancer isn’t successfully removed early on, it can be life threatening. A benign lump in the breast, on the other hand, is neither cancerous nor life-threatening, but it may indicate that invasive cancer will form later in life.

How fatal is breast cancer?

While everyone should take breast cancer seriously, at least 63% of cases are diagnosed at the localized stage, which means that the cancer has not spread to other areas of the body. When it is caught at an early stage, the 5-year survival rate is 99%. This is why it is so important to get regular mammograms at your doctor, so that cancer can be detected before it becomes life-threatening.

Men can get breast cancer too

While it is rare, men are vulnerable to getting breast cancer too. In 2022, it is estimated that at least 2,700 new cases of breast cancer will be found in men. Of that number, approximately 530 men will die. Breast cancer screening isn’t a recommendation for most men, only those men who have a genetic predisposition to developing cancer in the chest area.

At what age should you screen for breast cancer?

It’s recommended that women of all ages check themselves for breast cancer by feeling for lumps in the breast area. Once a woman hits the age of 40, it’s a good idea to get screened for breast cancer once a year by her physician. Screening by a physician, in addition to self-assessments, can help women detect breast cancer early on.

The good news

The good news is that deaths from breast cancer have been declining since the early 1990s due to better screening, early detection, increased awareness, and improved treatment options. In order to show your support and spread awareness, you may try volunteering for a breast cancer organization or participate in a fun run or walk.