October is breast cancer awareness month, an annual campaign to raise awareness in a devastating disease which affects an estimated 1.5 million people (99% women) every year worldwide!
Breast Cancer Awareness
Breast Cancer Awareness
In the UK for example over 50,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s the second highest cause of death from cancer in UK women, resulting in almost 12,000 deaths each year, only lung cancer causes more deaths: over 16,000 UK women die each year from lung cancer.
Breast cancer will affect 1 in 8 women in their lifetime, resulting in over half a million deaths worldwide each year!
Early detection and treatment is essential to controlling the form of cancer which is responsible for 25% of all forms of cancer in women.
If there is one form of cancer women should be aware of it’s breast cancer.
New Breast Cancer Treatments
A recent Australian clinical trial of 3,000 women tested a class of drug (Bisphosphonates) that doctors have used for decades to treat Osteoporosis (a bone disease).
The researches found a 25% increase in survival rates in the trial giving hope to the hundreds of thousands of women who die from breast cancer each year.
In another study researchers found vitamin D deficient women with early stage breast cancer are more likely to see their cancer reoccur in another part of the body resulting in a negative prognosis.
For women with a family history of breast cancer vitamin D supplements could be a cheap preventative treatment reducing the chances the cancer spreads after detection and treatment.
Breast Self Examination
Over 80% of breast cancers are discovered after a lump is noticed, yet many women do not regularly perform the relatively simple self examination of their breasts and if a woman doesn’t suspect she has cancer, she can not seek a medical diagnosis and early treatment.
Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer
Signs of breast cancer image source Breast Cancer Care
Speed of cancer detection is linked to survival rates
Breast cancer awareness should be promoted 365 days a year.
Why not sign up to the Free Breast Cancer Screening Reminder Service. Cancer.org will send you an email on the first day of your birth month with recommendations based on their latest self examination guidelines.
News Sources
https://www.garvan.org.au/news-events/news/bone-drug-should-be-seen-in-a-new-light-for-its-anti-cancer-properties
