Breast Cancer Awareness Month takes place every October and has so since 1985. Through it’s strategic partnerships and successful organized charity events, it has helped raise millions of dollars for research and an immeasurable amount of awareness. This has helped increase the survival rate in women who have detected breast cancer in its early stages. The 5-year survival rate is 98%. Here are some helpful tips to aid in early detection.

Know the Risks

Aging – Your chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer increases as you age. 1 out of 8 women who are 45 years or younger are diagnosed with breast cancer, while 2 out of 3 women who are 55 years or older will be. That’s why it’s extremely important to get constant checkups as you age.

Family History – It’s also imperative that you be observant if a direct family member of yours has been diagnosed with breast cancer. If your mother, daughter, or sister has been diagnosed with it your chances double.

Alcohol Consumption – Alcohol has been linked to numerous types of cancers and breast cancer is no different. Women who have one drink a day have a very small increased risk, while those who drink two to five drinks a night have about 1½ times the risk. Be mindful of how much you drink.

Self Exam

This is the earliest detection stage for identifying breast cancer. Starting in the early 20’s, women should know the importance and even the limitations of self exams. It’s not a foolproof plan for detecting this dreadful disease, but if abnormalities are observed it’s important that they be brought up to a health professional immediately. Early detection is key.

Mammogram

The best way to detect breast cancer is to get a mammogram. Essentially, a mammogram is an x-ray of your breasts. There are two types:

Screening – used to look for breast disease in women who appear to have no breast problems

Diagnostic – used to diagnose breast disease in women who have breast symptoms or an abnormal result on a screening mammogram

Screening for breast cancer occurs when there appears to be no problem at all. However, if something is detected, the more thorough diagnostic mammogram will be utilized. This can be quite a traumatic experience, because it’s frightening hearing that their are abnormalities within your body. No one wants to hear that a doctor must take a closer look at something. Luckily, the name of the game is early detection. The more often you to get treated, the less you have to worry. Again, the important stat is, if detected early, the 5 year survival rate is 98%. That’s pretty high, but it’s always nice to shoot for 100%.