It's Up To You To Protect Your Breasts

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in American women and the second leading cancer cause of death. (Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer of women.) U.S. women have a one in eight lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. The good news is that most breast cancer can be detected early with proper screening. The five year survival rate for localized breast cancer (cancer that has not spread) is 98 percent.

Early Detection
The secrets to early detection are breast self-exam (BSE), clinical breast exam (CBE) and mammography. The American Cancer Society recommends that women age 20-39 perform regular breast self-exams and have a clinical breast exam (examination by a health professional) every three years and a baseline mammogram at age 35. Women 40 and older should perform regular BSEs and have an annual CBE and mammogram. The importance of BSE cannot be overstated. A regular breast self-exam gives a woman the chance to know what is “normal” for her so that she can recognize changes and seek medical advice immediately. It’s natural to worry if you find a lump in your breast but 80 percent of all breast lumps are not cancer. If you feel a lump of any size in your breast that does not go away after your menstrual period, make an appointment with your doctor.

If you and your doctor detect a lump but it does not show up on a mammogram, you may still have a biopsy. There are several types of biopsies, such as fine needle aspiration biopsy, core biopsy and surgical biopsy. The choice of which to use depends on your specific situation.

Treatment
If the diagnosis is cancer, treatment may be any one or a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. There are many advances in all three types of treatment. According to Dr. Nate Thepjatri, a breast surgical oncologist with Community Breast Care, studies have shown that breast conserving surgery, or lumpectomy, has the same survival rate as mastectomy. Sometimes breast conserving surgery results in an unwanted cosmetic appearance. Dr. Thepjatri performs oncoplastic surgery in some of these cases for a better cosmetic outcome. For larger tumors, it may not be possible to perform breast conserving surgery and a mastectomy might be needed. Dr. Thepjatri says that oncoplastic mastectomy surgery that is skin-sparing and/or nipple-sparing can be performed when immediate reconstruction is planned and is often done in conjunction with a plastic surgeon.

Many women choose breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Other women do not feel the need to undergo reconstruction. It is a matter of personal choice. Breast reconstruction is generally performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon. Reconstruction can be performed at the time of breast removal or even years later.

There are more than 250,000 breast cancer survivors alive in this country. Each of us knows someone who has had breast cancer and some of us have known several people. Others of us even know a man who has fought breast cancer. Protect your breasts. The best prevention is early detection.

RISK FACTORS
Here are some of the known risk factors for breast cancer:

• Gender – the fact you are a woman increases your risk. It is important to note that men do get breast cancer but in much smaller numbers than women.
• Growing older – while young women are diagnosed with breast cancer, the older you are, the more likely your breast cancer will be invasive.
• Genetics – it is estimated that 5-10 percent of breast cancers are hereditary. Some women carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. Genetic testing for BRCA1 and 2 is available although it is costly and not usually covered by insurance. According Dr. Thepjatri, those who have this mutation have a 60-80 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer. He notes that there are certainly other, yet undiscovered, genetic links to breast cancer, “I truly believe there are other genes.”
• Family history – even if the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are not present, a family history of multiple incidences of breast or ovarian cancer, or of these cancers at an early age, is an increased risk.
• Race and ethnicity – women of Eskenazi Jewish descent have increased risk. There is an increased risk among Caucasian women when compared to African-American women but, African-American women are more likely to die of breast cancer. Asian, Hispanic and Native American women have a lower risk.
• Early onset of menstruation – women whose periods began early as well as women who do not go through menopause until after age 55 have increased risk.
• Recent oral contraceptive use – birth control pills do increase your risk; however, after ten years of not taking them, your risk declines.
  Hormone replacement therapy - using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after menopause has been shown to increase your risk for breast cancer.
• Alcohol use – women who have 2-5 drinks a day have 1.5 times the risk of women who drink no alcohol.
  Weight – women who over overweight or obese have increased risk.

According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, there are warning signs for breast cancer other than a lump in your breast. If you have any of these symptoms, see your health care provider right away:

• Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
• Change in the size or shape of the breast
• Dimpling or puckering of the skin
• Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
• Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
• Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
• New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away

Indianapolis-based Pink Ribbon Connection’s mission is to provide information and resources to those touched by breast cancer in central Indiana, because “no one should face breast cancer alone.” The Pink Ribbon Connection will celebrate breast cancer survivors at the “Puttin’ on the Pink” Fashion Show Luncheon on Saturday, October 8, 2011, at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. The event begins with a reception at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a fashion show at 12:45 p.m. with fashions provided by Nordstrom. Forty models, who are survivors or their caregivers, will walk in the show. Among the models are WISH-TV8 anchor Deanna Dewberry, who is currently fighting breast cancer. Tickets are $75 per person and may be purchased online at www.pinkribbonconnection.org or by calling 317-255-7465.