According to the American College of Preventive Medicine, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. According to the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, in 2001, an estimated 192,200 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in American women and 40,200 women died of the disease.

Who Is at Increased Risk for Breast Cancer?

The probability of developing invasive breast cancer over the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, is 0.4 percent for women age  30-39, 1.5 percent for women age 40-49, 2.8 percent for women aged 50-59, and 3.6 percent for women aged 60-69.  Women at an increased risk for breast cancer due to the following risk factors should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of starting mammography screening earlier and the need to have additional tests (including a breast ultrasound or MRI) or having more frequent exams.

The following are risk factors for obtaining breast cancer:

1. Older age;
2. Older age at first birth or never having given birth;
3. Early age at menstruation;
4. A family history of breast cancer or if your mother or sister have had it;
5. Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest;
6. Dense breast tissue discovered through a mammogram;
7. Taking hormones such as estrogen and progesterone;
8. Obesity;
9. Drinking alcoholic beverages; and
10. Being white.

Recommended Breast Cancer Screenings:

The key to preventing breast cancer or any cancer is early detection and recognizing the risk factors. Breast cancer screening means checking a woman’s breasts for cancer before there are signs of symptoms of the disease. There are three types of screening used to detect breast cancer:

1. Mammogram. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that finds tumors that are too small to feel. The size of the tumor, the density of the breast tissue, and the ability of the radiologist all affect the ability of a mammogram to find breast cancer. The American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiology, the American College of Obstetricians, and gynecologists advise women age 40-49 to have mammograms every one to two years and annually after age 50. The American Academy of Family Physicians advises women age 50-74 to have biennial mammogram screenings. According to research conducted by the American College of Preventive Medicine, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have demonstrated a 30 percent reduction in breast cancer mortality in women age 50-69 who are screened every one to two years. However, the sample sizes have been too small to reach conclusions on the effectiveness of mammograms for women under the age of 50.
2. Clinical breast exam.  A clinical breast exam is performed by a doctor or other health professional. The doctor will carefully feel the breasts and under the arms for lumps or anything else that seems abnormal. This should be a part of every periodic health exam and should be administered every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every year for women age 40 and older.
3. Breast self-exam. A breast self-exam is when a woman checks her own breasts for lumps, changes in the size or shape of the breast, or any other changes in the breast or underarm (armpit). Breast self-exams are a recommended option for women starting in their 20s.

If a lump or other abnormality is discovered, it is important to obtain an ultrasound to learn more. An ultrasound produces a picture of body tissues called a sonogram.

Sources:  National Cancer Institute, American College of Preventive Medicine and the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality.