Every woman should be aware of her risk of breast cancer

October 03, 2005

Dear Editor:

This summer I joined a small but growing number of women who have chosen preventative surgery for breast cancer. I elected to undergo prophylactic removal of my breasts and ovaries. Why in the world would someone do this? I have seen too many women deal with the ravaging physical and emotional aspects of this disease. In particular, watching my sisters go through chemotherapy, radiation and surgeries helped me make what I consider an informed decision after I tested positive for a BRCA 2 gene mutation.

In the early 1990s two breast cancer genes were identified - BRCA 1 and BRCA 2. These genes do not cause breast cancer, but rather fight the disease. After both my sisters developed premenopausal breast cancer, the three of us underwent genetic blood tests. Each of us was found to carry the same BRCA 2 mutation. Thus my sisters and I cannot suppress breast cancer if it emerges. In the general population, a woman has about a 12 percent chance of developing breast cancer and about a 1.7 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer in her lifetime. With a positive BRCA mutation these percentages jump to up to 84 percent for breast cancer and up to 27 percent for ovarian cancer. My personal risk became seven times greater for developing breast cancer and 16 times greater for developing ovarian cancer. The decision for my surgeries was made based on these statistics as well as my personal point in life.

Why share this information publicly? Because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society estimates that in Kentucky alone more than 3,300 cases of breast cancer will occur this year and more than 600 women will die of the disease. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55. Eight out of 10 breast lumps are not cancerous and when breast cancer is found early, the five-year survival rate is 96 percent. These are just some of the facts from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF). Educating our public is one of the keys to the early detection of breast cancer!

The NBCF suggests:

1) Clinical breast examinations every three years from ages 20-39, then every year thereafter.

2) Monthly breast self-examinations beginning at age 20. Look for any changes in your breasts.

3) Baseline mammogram by the age of 40.

4) Mammogram every one to two years for women 40-49, depending on previous findings.

5) Mammogram every year for women 50 and older.

Every woman should be aware of her risk of developing breast cancer. There are excellent resources available including your personal physician, your county Health Department, the National Cancer Institute's web site at www.cancer.gov or the National Breast Cancer Foundation at www.nationalbreastcancer.org. While most women will not go through the surgeries I did, each woman needs to consider her breast wellness.

Take charge of this issue - perform monthly self breast exams, go ahead and make the appointment for a clinical breast exam, schedule that mammogram you've been avoiding. If you need financial assistance call your local Health Department; they can help provide screening services. But don't wait any longer!

Sarah S. Hempel

Danville

Index by Date

Index by Keyword