There are so many things that you have probably heard about breast cancer. However, there might be a few that you have not heard. The following are some cancer facts that women should be aware of.
Breast Cancer is No Longer a Death Sentence
Did you know that each year approximately 230,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed? Did you realize that just 39,000 die from the disease? While that number might sound high, you can see that it is really a smaller percentage than many realize.
Genetics Really Only Play a Small Role
Many women are misinformed and believe that because no one in their family has ever suffered from breast cancer, that they are not likely to get the disease. In fact, it is estimated that just five to ten percent of all cases are actually linked to genetics. That means that getting the disease from genetics is not that common.
Men Can Get Breast Cancer Too
While it is rare for a man to get breast cancer, there are about 450 deaths of men suffering from this disease each year. Around 2,100 men are diagnosed with the disease each year.
Treatment Might Be Different for Everyone
Many women also do not realize just how vastly different treatment can be. Some women need a mastectomy while others need chemotherapy. Still there are some women who just need radiation. Listening to your team of doctors and going with your own recommended treatment plan is necessary for your best line of defense against the disease.
Don’t Be Afraid to Get a Second Opinion
Regardless of whether or not treatment sounds great, it might be worth your time to get a second opinion. Make sure that you do your research and that you know what options are available to you for treatment when you are diagnosed. Seeking out a second opinion just means that you are making sure that you have all options available to you.
Manage Your Weight
Many women are aware that being obese increases their chance of suffering from breast cancer. What many women are not aware of is that being obese also increases your chance of reoccurrence and dying from the disease. Maintaining a healthy weight is a great line of defense against breast cancer.
Risk Increases with Age
While women (and men) who are any age can develop the disease, the risk continues to increase as you get older. Taking the precautions like seeing a doctor on a regular basis are going to help to ensure that you catch the disease in the early stages when it is easiest to cure.
Drinking Increases Your Risk
Even if you are not a heavy drinker, you are increasing your risk of breast cancer. Having just a few drinks each week drastically increases the chance that you will end up with breast cancer.
Pain is Not a Common Symptom
Many people freak out and worry if they have breast pain. One of the things that you should remember is that breast pain is rarely a symptom of breast cancer.
Breastfeeding Lowers Your Risk
The longer that you breastfeed, the lower your risk of breast cancer becomes. Not only is breastfeeding healthy for your little one but studies are showing that it is also healthy for you.
Understanding the things that you can do to reduce your risk of breast cancer is important. Raising awareness of these facts is also very important. You can check out FundraiseForACause.com to find a number of ways in which you can start your own fundraiser to raise awareness where you live. There are also a wide range of products that you can shop from to help raise money just by buying the things that you already use.