Breast Cancer Awareness: What You Need to Know Now, Part 5

In this final part of our breast cancer awareness series, I will be sharing how to understand the statisitcs. 

1 in 8 is a lifetime risk.

You may have heard a scary statistic that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer. While that is indeed scary, it is also a little misleading.

1 in 8 is a lifetime risk so what that means is that your risk of developing breast cancer increases with advancing age. So at age 40 your risk of developing breast cancer is about 1 in 250, at 50 years of age the risk is about 1 in 50 and at the age of 80 your risk is about 1 in 8.

Breast cancer is uncommon in young women and sometimes doctors will dismiss your complaint of a lump because of this. Be persistent; if the lump does not fluctuate with your menstrual cycle, is hard or fixed, or there is associated overlying skin changes, insist on being imaged by a radiologist.  This also includes symptoms such as nipple changes or nipple discharge or something just doesn't feel quite right, insist on getting it checked out further.

Be your own best advocate.

What You Need to Know Now, Risk Factors
What You Need to Know Now, Family History
What You Need to Know Now, Screening Tools
What You Need to Know Now, Breasts Change Throughout Your Lifetime