October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The purpose is to help increase awareness of breast cancer and help with early detection. Breast cancer is the second-most common type of cancer in women (although men can get breast cancer, also).
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2023, we’re going to discuss the symptoms, causes, different stages, and different kinds of breast cancer. Then, we’ll talk more specifically about Breast Cancer Awareness Month and how you can get involved.
Breast Cancer Symptoms
The most obvious symptom of breast cancer is a lump in the breast. However, there are other symptoms, including:
Dimpling of the breast skin
Change in the shape, size, or appearance of a breast
Newly inverted nipple
A thickened area that feels different from surrounding tissue
Peeling, crusting, scaling, or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple (areola) or breast skin
Pitting or redness on the skin of the breast (like an orange peel)
Different Kinds of Breast Cancer
“Breast cancer” isn’t one specific type of cancer. Rather, it’s any number of cancer types that can occur in breast tissue. The different kinds of breast cancer include:
Angiosarcoma
Inflammatory breast cancer
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
Paget's disease of the breast
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
Invasive lobular carcinoma
Male breast cancer
Recurrent breast cancer
Causes of Breast Cancer
While there are some factors that increase a person’s risk of developing breast cancer, few specific causes have been identified. There are genetic, lifestyle, hormonal, and environmental factors that may cause breast cancer.
One known cause of breast cancer is a genetic factor. Around 5 to 10 of breast cancers are inherited through the family via two genes. These genes are breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2).
Breast Cancer Risk Factors
There are many things that may increase a person’s chance of developing breast cancer. Some of those risk factors include:
Being female
Drinking alcohol
Obesity
Radiation exposure
Family history of breast cancer
Increasing age
Never having been pregnant
Having your first child after 30
History of breast conditions
Postmenopausal hormone therapy
Starting your period before age 12
Beginning menopause at an older age
Different Stages of Breast Cancer
There are 5 different stages of breast cancer. They range from stage 0, which is noninvasive, to stage IV, which has spread to other parts of the body.
After a breast cancer diagnosis, many tests will be done to determine your stage. Your breast cancer stage may affect what types of treatment you need.
Breast Cancer Treatment
There are many different types of treatments for breast cancer. Treatment varies depending on type and stage. The most common treatments include:
Radiation therapy
Chemotherapy
Hormone therapy
Targeted therapy drugs
Immunotherapy
Supportive (palliative) care
There are a wide variety of surgeries that may be performed, including:
Lumpectomy – Removing cancer from the breast
Mastectomy – Removing the entirety of the breast
Axillary lymph node dissection – Removing additional lymph nodes
Sentinel node biopsy – Removing and testing a few lymph nodes
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Charities
There are a wide variety of breast cancer awareness month charities that you may choose to support. A few of the most common breast cancer charities include:
Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC)
Breast Cancer Research Foundation
National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF)
Young Survival Coalition (YSC)
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Runs, Walks, and Other Events
October is the time to run or walk for breast cancer awareness. There are lots of events around the country to choose from. Here are just a few:
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure (multiple locations across the country)
American Cancer Society Events (multiple locations across the country)
Shelter Island Fall 5k (Shelter Island, New York)
Paint the Parkway Pink 5K (San Antonio, Texas)
Pinkathon (San Francisco, California)
How to Get Involved with Breast Cancer Awareness Month
There are lots of ways you can get involved with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A few ideas are to:
Volunteer your time
Share your breast cancer survivor story
Donate your money
Fundraise money
Buy pink ribbon products (if you can verify proceeds go to breast cancer charities)
Be a corporate sponsor
Read More
Sources
Mayo Clinic. Breast Cancer. Accessed on October 6, 2021 at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/breast-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352470
National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Accessed on October 6, 2021 at https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month/
