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Cancer Facts

Some sobering facts about breast cancer

¨ Every woman is at risk for breast cancer.

¨ Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the United States.

¨	A new case of breast cancer is diagnosed every three minutes, and a woman will die from breast cancer every twelve minutes.

¨ Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women between the ages of 35 and 54.

¨	Breast cancer incidence increases with age, rising sharply after age 40. About 80 percent of invasive breast cancers occur in women over age 50.

¨	Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for African American women. While more white women are diagnosed with breast cancer, the mortality rate is higher among African American women.

¨ Women of low socioeconomic status are more likely to be diagnosed with late stage disease and die of it as a result.

¨	More than 80 percent of breast cancer cases occur in women who have no identifiable risk factors. Risk factors include:

Þ Older than age 40, and especially older than 50.

Þ Personal history of breast cancer (anyone who has had cancer in one breast).

Þ Mother and/or sisters have had breast cancer, with the risk increasing if these relatives had cancer in both
breasts, and it occurred before menopause.

Þ Never having children or having first live birth after age 30.

Þ Long menstrual history (periods started early and ended late in life).

Þ Late menopause.

¨ The cause of breast cancer is unknown.

¨ There is nothing you can do to prevent getting breast cancer; however, you can minimize your risk.

¨ More than 80 percent of breast lumps are proven benign, but any breast lump must be evaluated by a physician.