Breast Cancer Screening & Awareness Month Is Almost Here.

October is just around the corner and we all feel the season slowly changing. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an international health campaign that’s held every October. The month aims to promote screening and reduce the risk of the disease, which affects 2.3 million women worldwide.

Unfortunately, we have seen an uptick in breast cancer rates among women both anecdotally in our clinic and in the data. In the United States, the American Cancer Society reports that breast cancer incidence increased by approximately 1% per year overall from 2012 to 2021, with a steeper rise among women younger than 50 years (1.4% per year) and among Hispanic (1.6% per year) and Asian American/Pacific Islander (2.6% per year) women.

How Common is Breast Cancer?

                A woman in the United States has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer over her lifetime and a 1 in 43 chance of dying from breast cancer. Routine breast cancer screening can reduce the mortality rate by about 20%. However, only 49% of women in the United States who are eligible for annual mammograms reported having a mammogram in the past year according to data from 2021.

An annual mammogram aids in early detection of breast cancer.

What about Breast Cancer Screening Options?

                Breast cancer screening recommendations can vary depending on a woman’s personal and family history. Additionally, certain medications, prior radiation exposure and other factors may increase breast cancer risk so the decision of when to start screening and how often should be individualized. With that being said, there are standard screening recommendations that we can start with. For average-risk women, the American Cancer Society recommends initiating regular screening mammography at age 45, with annual screening from ages 45 to 54. Optional screening for women ages 40-45 again depending on risk factors. I usually encourage my patients to start in their early 40s unless their history and risk factors dictate otherwise. Frequency of screening and modality should also be an individualized decision because breast density also impacts the efficacy of traditional digital mammography. Some women also choose to utilize breast MRI as a screening tool depending on the density of breast tissue. Each screening modality has their role, indications and limitations so a thorough and nuanced discussion should be had.

This October, make sure you or your loved ones have an in-depth conversation with a physician to determine the right breast cancer screening strategy.