If you do not have a regular doctor and wish to be screened for breast cancer, contact your local health department to find out if you are eligible for the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. This is a low-cost, or free, program that will cover the cost of a mammogram for those that are eligible.
Each year in the US 264,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women and 2400 in men. 42,000 women and 500 men die each year from breast cancer. African American and Latina women are at a higher risk of a breast cancer diagnosis.
Breast screenings are an important tool to detect breast cancer. When it’s found early, while it’s small and has not spread, it may be easier to treat successfully. A regular mammogram, an x-ray of the breast, is the best way to find breast cancer for most women of screening age. Depending on your doctor’s recommendation, screenings usually start at age 40.
Symptoms may be different for everyone, and some people may not have any signs or symptoms of breast cancer.
Common warning signs are:
New lump in the breast
New change in the size or shape of the breast
New nipple changes, or nipple discharge (that is not milk) dimpling, redness, or irritation of the breast skin
Some lifestyle factors to reduce your risk: Increasing physical activity, being at a healthy weight, avoiding or reducing alcohol consumption, breastfeeding your baby.
Men:
It is possible for men to get breast cancer. About 1 out of 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the US is found in men. Risk factors for men include: getting older, genetic mutations, family history of breast cancer. It’s important to be honest with your medical provider if breast cancer runs in your family.
