Breast cancer awareness is just the beginning

Every October advocates nationwide work to increase breast cancer awareness and promote breast cancer research. You can support the cause by wearing pink, but it’s a good idea to do something for yourself as well. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, find out if you are high risk so you can take steps to protect yourself: Learn the early signs of breast cancer and make changes for the better. If you or a loved one is diagnosed with breast cancer, you can trust LCMC Health for breast cancer treatment.

Breast cancer risk: You may be born with it

Breast cancer risk increases for all women as they grow older, and women with dense breast tissue also have a greater breast cancer risk. Roughly half of all women who are 40 or older have dense or extremely dense breast tissue.

Now, think about your family. If women in your life have had breast or ovarian cancer, you have increased breast cancer risk. Another type of inherited risk is having the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, which can be passed down from your mom or dad, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent who either have a first-degree relative or two second-degree relatives on the same side of the family who were diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer are more likely to have the mutation and should consider genetic counseling.

Symptoms to watch for

Knowing your body is important for breast health because you know best what is normal for you. Being alert to signs of breast cancer can lead to early detection. Changes in your breasts to look for include:

• Changes in shape or size
• Dimpling
• Discharge other than breast milk
• Nipple pain
• Pain anywhere in the breast
• Red, scaly patches
• Swelling or thickening
• Sudden flattening or inversion of the nipple

A new lump in the breast or your armpit is a concerning sign; about 10% of those found are breast cancer. Still, if you see or feel anything suspicious, tell your primary care provider or women’s health provider.

Lifestyle choices to reduce breast cancer risk

Having regular visits with your primary care provider is one way to maximize your overall health. They can build on your breast cancer awareness and recommend lifestyle choices that can reduce breast cancer risk, such as:

• Avoiding sitting. Especially if you sit long hours for work, choose free-time activities that get you off the couch and away from a screen.
• Eating nutritious, whole foods. Fill your plate with vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains. Limit processed meats, red meat and foods with added sugars and sodium.
• Exercising regularly. Try to fit in 30 minutes of fitness daily to meet the American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines for physical activity of 150 to 300 minutes per week.
• Limiting alcohol. Women who have one alcoholic drink daily have up to a 10% increase in breast cancer risk over women who don’t drink.
• Quitting smoking if you do smoke. Premenopausal women who smoke have an increased risk for breast cancer, but it’s never too late to quit. Women who quit smoking after breast cancer diagnosis have a 33% lower risk of dying than women who continue smoking.
• Scheduling your mammogram. The ACS guidelines say women with average breast cancer risk should have the option for mammograms starting at age 40 and have annual mammograms starting at age 45.

Breast cancer treatment at LCMC Health

If your routine mammogram is inconclusive or finds something that requires follow-up, an ultrasound or breast MRI can examine breast tissue in a different way and help confirm or rule out a breast cancer diagnosis. When breast cancer treatment is needed, the cancer care at LCMC Health offers more than expected, including access to clinical trials. Treatment plans go beyond a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to address each patient’s emotional, mental and spiritual health and preserve quality of life.

With eight convenient locations, LCMC Health makes getting your annual mammogram easy. Choose a location near you and call to schedule today.