October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

San Juan Health Services would like to invite everyone to help them celebrate this event.

What can you do? 
Wear Pink!  Remind the women in your life to get checked, see their doctor or schedule their mammogram. To schedule an appointment for a mammogram, call San Juan Hospital at 435-587-2116

What are we doing?
San Juan Health Services wants everyone to know that we wear pink for you!  We are always here with open arms to welcome you in to answer questions, assist you in scheduling an appointment with one of our highly trained providers or performing your yearly mammogram.

We are also running a pink ribbon campaign.  We want to know who you wear pink for!  Come in to any of our clinics and receive your pink ribbon and tell us who you wear pink for.

Breast Health Information
Did you know that San Juan Health Services does not require a prescription from your doctor to get your yearly mammogram?  Anyone age 40 and over can schedule their own mammogram Monday - Friday!  We even take walk-ins!

The American Cancer Society gives the following recommendations:
Starting in your 20’s and 30’s women should perform monthly self breast exams about 7 to 10 days after the first day of their menstrual cycle.  They should also get a clinical breast exam by their health care provider every three years.

Starting at age 40 women should continue their monthly breast exams.  They should also receive a clinical breast exam as well as a yearly screening mammogram.

Breast Cancer Facts
70 - 80% of all breast cancers are found in women with NO family history of breast cancer.

What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer?
Breast cancer typically produces no symptoms when the tumor is small and most treatable.  Therefore, it is very important for women to follow recommended screening guidelines for detecting breast cancer at an early stage, before symptoms develop.  When breast cancer has grown to a size that can be felt, the most common physical sign is a painless lump.  Sometimes breast cancer can spread to underarm lymph nodes and cause a lump or swelling, even before the original breast tumor is large enough to be felt.  Less common signs and symptoms include breast pain or heaviness; persistent changes to the breast, such as swelling, thickening, or redness of the breast’s skin; and nipple abnormalities such as spontaneous discharge (especially if bloody). erosion, inversion, or tenderness.  It is important to note that pain (or last thereof) does not indicate the presence or absence of breast cancer.  Any persistent abnormality in the breast should be evaluated by a physician as soon as possible.

In 2011, an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women as wall as an estimated 57,650 additional cases of in situ breast cancer.

In 2011, approximately 39,520 women are expected to die from breast cancer.  Only lung cancer account for more cancer deaths in women.

In 2011, about 2,140 cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among men, accounting for about 1% of all breast cancers.  In addition, approximately 450 men will die from breast cancer.

Breast cancer incidence rates are higher in non-Hispanic white women compared to African American women for most age groups.  However, African American women have a higher incidence rate before 40 years of age and are more likely to die from breast cancer at every age.

How many women alive today have ever had breast cancer?
The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 2.6 million U.S. women with a history of breast cancer were alive in January 2008, more than half of whom were diagnosed less than 10 years earlier.  Most of these individuals were cancer free, while other still had evidence of cancer and may have been undergoing treatment.

Can breast cancer be prevented?
At this time, there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, which is why regular mammograms are so important for early detection.  Strategies that may help prevent breast cancer include avoiding weight gain and obesity, engaging in regular physical activity, and minimizing alcohol intake.  Women who choose to breast-feed for an extended period of time (studies suggest a year or more) may also reduce their breast cancer risk.  Women should consider the increased risk of breast cancer associated with the use of estrogen and progestin when evaluating treatment options for menopausal symptoms.  Treatment with tamozifen or raloxifene can also reduce the risk of breast cancer among women at high risk.

Mammography
Mammography is a lo-dose x-ray procedure that allows visualization of the internal structure of the breast.  Modern, dedicated screen-film units result in higher quality images with a considerably lower x-ray dose that the general purpose x-ray equipment used in the past, and newer digital mammography systems appear to be even more accurate for women under 50 years of age with dense breast tissues.  Numerous randomized trials, as well as population based screening evaluations, have clearly shown that mammography reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer.  Early detection of breast cancer by mammography also leads to a greater range of treatment options, including less aggressive surgery and less aggressive therapy.

Other sources of patient information and support include:
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
1-800-CDC-INFO or 1-800-232-4636  http://cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program helps low-income women gain access to timely, high quality screening programs for the detection of breast and cervical cancer.

Sisters Network
1-866-781-1808  http://isstersnetworking.org

This national African American breast cancer survivors support group is committed to increasing local and national attention to the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community.

YourShoes 24/7 Breast Cancer Support Center
1-800-221-2141 - English  1-800-986-9505 - Spanish  http://y-me.org

YourShoes is a 24 hour hotline staffed by trained peer counselors who are breast cancer survivors.  The hotline provides information on breast cancer and breast health to anyone touched by or concerned about the disease.

The above information retrieved from the American Cancer Society, 2011