Is it time to get your annual breast exam?
Breast cancer remains a major health concern for women, ranking as the second leading cause of cancer death in women (only lung cancer kills more women each year), according to cancer.org.
The chance that a woman will die from breast cancer is about one in 38 (about 2.6 percent). Breast cancer, especially when caught early, is often treatable. Currently, there are 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.
You can do some things to catch breast cancer early and minimize your risk.
1. Live a healthy lifestyle. Maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). Don't smoke. Avoid alcohol.
2. Be physically active. Participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day and take steps to stay within your healthy weight range.
3. Self-examination. All women over age 20 should perform breast self-examination each month. All lumps are not cancerous, but only a doctor can tell the difference. If you find a lump, see your doctor.
4. Mammograms. Scientific studies show that for women over age 50, routine mammography can find breast cancer at an early, treatable stage.
The National Institutes of Health have provided these pros and cons for women in their 40s to consider.
Some factors are out of a person's control, but these known risk factors should make women more vigilant.
* Family history. If your mother or sisters have had breast cancer, you might also have a higher risk. Only about five to 10 percent of breast cancer is hereditary. Talk to your doctor about genetic counseling and advanced screening.
* Breast density. Women with high breast density have a higher risk of getting break cancer. This could be in part because the more dense the breast tissue, the more difficult it is to detect small abnormalities.
* Hormone replacement therapy at menopause can be a risk factor for breast cancer.
One key idea: Don't let COVID-19 fears stop you from getting your annual mammogram.
