Redbook's Article- WHO GETS BREAST CANCER & WHO SURVIVES?

[SkhyeMoncrief]

A friend was asking about breast cancer info today. So, I decided to summarize the statistics in this month's Redbook article by Hallie Levine Sklar,. {{Thank you, Ms. Sklar!}}

YOUNG WOMEN WHO GET BREAST CANCER ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE- these are women diagnosed before age 40. Their tumors are more aggressive. 82% of these women have a 5-yr life expectancy rate. Whereas, 85% of older women have the same life expectancy rate. Younger women have denser breast tissue which is harder to detect masses with mammograms. But these same women are less likely to get annual mammograms. So, little early detection... The advice is that if you have a family history of breast cancer to start your mammograms 10 years earlier than the age your relative was diagnosed. Another valuable point is that if you do find a lump, don't panic because 80% of biopsied lumps are benign/non-cancerous.

BREAST CANCER IS MORE DEADLY IN MINORITY WOMEN- African-American, Native American, and Hispanic women are 70% more likely to die from breast cancer. WHY? Regardless of ethnicity, these minorities may not be receiving the treatment they need (see ethnic info that follows).  But women often claim they don't have health insurance, can't take off work, or are taking care of the kids and can't go for an annual checkup.

African-American women appear to have (not proven) a genetic propensity for triple-negative incurable  tumors. 39% of pre-menopausal African-American breast-cancer victims have these deadly tumors whereas only 14% of all non-African-American women at any age. And often, these cancers are diagnosed at later stages because only about 40% of African-American women over 40 actually seek mammograms. One study shows African-American women aren't receiving the same amount of chemotherapy as other ethnicities because some doctors don't believe their African-American patients will adhere to medical advice. These women will supposedly get sick from the normal dosage of chemotherapy and not return for treatment. (I think this is a horrible assumption, but this wasn't my article! So, I'm moving on with the points...)

CERTAIN TUMORS ARE HORMONE SENSITIVE AND GROW IN RESPONSE TO ESTROGEN- about 2/3rds of all tumors. These tumors grow more slowly than other breast cancers and can be treated with hormone therapy, hence, these women have a higher survival rate.

TUMORS WITH HUMAN EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR 2- rapidly growing tumors. About 20% of all breast cancers. Newer medications lower the chances of recurrence and make the patient's prognosis not so grim.

TRIPLE NEGATIVE TUMORS- about 15% of all breast cancers. Most aggressive and more likely to recur. These have the poorest of survival rates.

NEARLY HALF OF WOMEN DON'T GET ENOUGH CHEMO

OVERWEIGHT WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP AND DIE FROM BREAST CANCER-

1. If you gained more than 20 pounds since your 18th birthday, you're one of these women. Studies show severely obese women aren't getting enough chemo and some physicians are scared to give the higher doses to patients. Losing weight at any age reduces your risk of getting breast cancer.

2. Women on low-fat & veggie-rich diets aer safer from breast cancer. Women who get 40% of their calories from fat were 11% more likely to get breast cancer than women ingesting 20% fat in their diets.  A French study shows eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains lowered a woman's risk of breast cancer by 17%. Another study shows eating 5 servings of fruit/vegs a day with 3 hours of moderate exercise/week reduces your odds of dying from breast cancer by 50%.

3. Women who exercise are less likelty to develop breast cancer. 1.3 hours of moderate activity a week (that's 3 times a week for 20 minutes) lowers your odds of getting breast cancer by 20%. Exercise reduces the amounts of circulating estrogen in your body. Exercise reduces the insulin in your body that is linked to the recurrence of cancer. Exercise helps you drop the extra pounds that increase your risk of getting cancer.

Websites listed in Ms. Sklar's article are:

cancer101.org

nbcam.org

youngsurvival.org

breastcancer.org

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If you'd like to read the entire article, it's Redbook's October 2007 issue out now!

I should also add that from grad school while studying anthropology under many medical anthropologists, it was declared that women often brush their issues aside to take care of their childrens' or spouse's health. Ladies, don't do this. Your family needs you as much as you need to take care of them!

I pass this info on and hope everyone takes a moment to call their ob/gyn for that all-important checkup if you haven't this year. My sister hasn't been in years. I can't get her to call. I had a terrifying two weeks this summer with what I perceived to be breast cancer. It was Fibrocystic Breast. The topic is one of my early blog entries. I'm also hosting a BREAST CANCER AWARENESS/PAMPER YOURSELF CONTEST with 6 other authors of romance through midnight on Halloween. You're welcome to check out that blog entry and join the fun! There are 14 prizes. I promise you won't be scared at all! But missing your annual well-woman's checkup may certainly leave you standing in the dark with a demon lurking over your shoulder. Take care. Skhye