State Rep. Donna Howard (D-Austin) continues to encourage women to get their mammograms as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“It’s #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, and I hope you will join me in making sure to get your annual mammogram,” Howard posted on her Twitter site. "When you get screened for breast cancer regularly, you increase your chance of surviving a breast cancer diagnosis.”
According to statistics from BreastCancer.org, about one in eight U.S. women or 13% will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of a lifetime. In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in U.S. women, and about 2,650 new cases of invasive breast cancer in men. The lifetime risk of breast cancer in men is about one in 883.
According to BreastCancer.Org, about 43,600 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2021 from breast cancer. The organization reports death rates have been steady in women under 50 since 2007, but have continued to drop in women over 50. The overall death rate from breast cancer decreased by 1% per year from 2013 to 2018.
Some people believe breast cancer is an inherited condition, but only 5-10% of cancers are due to an abnormality inherited from mother or father. Statistics indicate, 85-90% of breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and the “wear and tear” of life in general.
UT Health Austin board-certified medical oncologist Tara Kaufmann, MD, MSCE, offered this incite: “Generally, women at the age of 40 should speak to their primary care or ob-gyn provider about whether they should begin scheduling annual screening mammograms, as guidelines differ on the age at which women should start screening mammograms and the decision to begin is a shared decision between you and your healthcare provider who takes into account your breast cancer risk factors,” Dr. Kaufmann said. “In general, guidelines recommend beginning annual screening mammograms for breast cancer between the ages of 40-50 years old. If you have a strong family history of breast cancer involving a mother or sister, it is recommended that you begin scheduling screening mammographs when you reach 10 years younger."
A healthy lifestyle can help with prevention. Eating a balanced, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, limiting alcohol and regular exercise are recommended though it can not eliminate the risk.
In women under 45, breast cancer is more common in black women than in white women. Overall, black women are more likely to die of breast cancer. For Asian, Hispanic, and Native-American women, the risk of developing and dying from breast cancer is lower. Ashkenazi Jewish women have a higher risk of breast cancer because of a higher rate of BRCA mutations.
The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restriction have posed a challenge for women to get screened for early detection, which is why Breast Cancer Awareness Month should be every month.