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Print Defending Against Breast Cancer: Arming yourself with knowledge is your best defence against breast cancer.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW. Breast cancer is common. The older you get, the higher your risk of breast cancer. At age 30, the risk is one in 6,000 per year. At 40, one in 1,200; at 50, one in 550 per year. Early detection is the key. You can detect a lump through a breast self-exam, a breast exam by a health professional or a mammogram. Most breasts are lumpy during a woman's menstrual cycle. If a lump doesn't go away after a full cycle, see your doctor immediately. Remember, in many cases, a lumpectomy followed by radiation is as effective as a mastectomy (a mastectomy removes the entire breast, a lumpectomy removes a section of the breast).
WHAT YOU CAN DO. Maintain a well-balanced diet. Reduce fat and eat more nutritious, high-fibre foods. Exercise on a regular basis. Learn how to examine your breasts and examine them monthly. Know your breasts well enough to notice a change. Schedule annual mammograms. A mammogram can detect a lump two years before you can feel it.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND SUPPORT
Cancer News on the Net Breast Cancer Links http://www.cancernews.com/breast.htm
National Breast Cancer Coalition http://www.natlbcc.org/
UK Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign http://www.easynet.co.uk/aware/
Hispanic Women and Breast Cancer http://www.breastcancerinfo.com/bhealth/html/hispanic.html