October is in the Pink!

October is in the Pink!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a great occasion to schedule your mammogram.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation predicts that in 2021 there may be:

  • 281,550 new cases of breast cancer
  • 49,290 new cases of ductal carcinoma (in situ) non-invasive breast cancer. (In situ means the cancer is “in place” and has not spread.)
  • 43,600 deaths from breast cancer

Breast cancer also can occur in men. It is estimated that there will be 2,650 new cases of invasive breast cancer in men this year, with 530 men dying from the disease. Statistically, women account for 129.3 cases of breast cancer per 100,000 people, compared with 1.3 cases per 100,000 for men.

According to the American Cancer Society, “Most DNA mutations related to breast cancer take place in breast cells during a woman’s lifetime rather than having been inherited. These acquired mutations of oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes may result from other factors, like radiation or cancer-causing chemicals. But so far, the causes of most acquired mutations that could lead to breast cancer are still unknown. Most breast cancers have several acquired gene mutations.”

Mammograms remain the gold standard for early breast cancer screening and detection. Breast ultrasound is also a useful diagnostic tool, especially for denser breast tissue, when used in combination with a mammogram. 3-D Mammography, which is used by most diagnostic centers today, collects multiple images of the breast from several angles.

Remember to get your flu shot!