October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual health campaign to promote screening and prevention of the disease. If you have breasts, this is a great time to find out when and how often you should be getting checked for breast cancer. Breast cancer diagnoses in women under 50 have been rising by more than 2% annually over the past five years, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation .
The good news is that, because of better screening and treatment options, breast cancer deaths have dropped by about 40% in the past three decades or so. Survival rates are especially high when the cancer is caught early, before it has a chance to spread. In this episode, we go over personal risk, breast exams and mammograms, and how to advocate for yourself in the health care system.
Here are important resources from the episode. Understand the general risk factors. Anyone with breast tissue can get breast cancer, but some factors increase your risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the risk of breast cancer increases with age. Some other risk factors include a family history of breast cancer, specific genetic mutations, dense breast tissue, alcohol consumption, hormone treatments like birth control and gender-affirming hormone therapy, and having your first pregnancy after age 30. This is not an exhaustive list so it's best to speak with your doctor about your own personal risk factors as well.
Estimate your personal risk with an online calculator .
