Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and to some extent, 12.3% of all women will develop it. Over the past few decades, breast cancer mortality rates have declined significantly due to the realization of the importance of early detection. There are 5 facts about breast cancer that people need to pay attention to.
1. The two highest risk factors for breast cancer cannot be controlled
The highest risk factors for breast cancer are family history and age. If a woman has a first-degree relative (including mother, sister and daughter) who has breast cancer, her risk of developing breast cancer doubles. This can happen in up to 15% of breast cancer patients. Another high risk factor for breast cancer is age. Half of all breast cancer patients are women over the age of 62.
Although these two factors are scary, many other risk factors for breast cancer are now well controlled or even eliminated.
2. Breast cancer research and treatment have made great progress
According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), breast cancer death rates declined at a rate of 1.9% between 2002 and 2011. Researchers say this is due to several advances made over the years, including mammograms. The study confirmed that mammograms among insured women increased from 29 percent in 1987 to 70 percent in 2010. Since 2002, doctors have learned about the role of hormone replacement therapy and how it can increase the risk of breast cancer and cause other health problems.
Studies have also further confirmed that specific gene mutations (BRCA1 and BRCA2) increase breast cancer risk, opening a new era of genetic testing for breast cancer.
3. Breast cancer is not a death sentence
NCI researchers say that breast cancer patients have a high survival rate, with a 5-year survival rate of 89.2% after breast cancer is diagnosed. In fact, most breast cancer survivors die from other causes, not from breast cancer. Therefore, even if you have breast cancer, there is no need to panic, as most women will survive.
4.Breast cancer treatment plan is optimized
If breast cancer is diagnosed, chemotherapy and surgery are the first treatment options. The most surprising thing for patients is that chemotherapy is not as scary as they thought, and not all patients need it. New genetic testing can determine which patients will benefit from chemotherapy and many side effects are well controlled, which also improves the quality of life of patients during treatment. In addition, not all patients need a mastectomy or removal of one or both breasts. However, studies have found that the survival rate of patients remains unchanged after mastectomy or mastectomy for tumors.
5. Measures that can reduce the risk of breast cancer
Even if the risk of breast cancer is high, steps can be taken to reduce that risk, including
Controlling the amount of alcohol consumed to one drink per day.
Not smoking.
Controlling weight, as being overweight or obese can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Being active in exercise.
Breastfeeding children, the longer you feed them, the more significant the preventive effect.
Controlling the dose and duration of hormone therapy, as hormone combination therapy for more than 5 years increases the risk of breast cancer.
Avoiding radiation and environmental pollution exposure and undergoing medical imaging only when necessary.