October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Early detection of breast cancer is a lifesaver. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time for women to remember to call their health care provider and schedule a screening test.

“Detection of breast cancer at an early, localized stage is a critical issue on both an individual and a public health level,” according to Roderick Bremby, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “A woman has a one out of eight chance of developing breast cancer at some time during her life and early detection can increase the chance that breast cancer can be diagnosed at its earliest, most treatable stage.”

In Kansas during 2004, 1,645 women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 341 died of the disease, according to statistics from the Kansas Cancer Registry. The American Cancer Society projects that in the United States about 212,920 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, more than from any form of cancer except skin cancer. Only lung cancer will kill more women than breast cancer. Approximately 40,970 women will die as a result of breast cancer in 2006 in the U.S.

It is recommended that women begin having annual mammograms at the age of 40. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast that can detect breast cancers as small as grains of salt, long before they can be felt. Some cancers, however, are not easily detectable by mammogram and an annual clinical breast exam performed by a nurse, physician or other health care professional also is recommended.

The National Cancer Institute and American Cancer Society have issued several lifestyle recommendations that may reduce the risk of breast cancer. These include staying active (for instance, taking a 30 minute walk on most days), maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding tobacco and using hormone replacement therapy for the shortest time and at the lowest dose possible. Additional recommendations include limiting alcohol intake to one or fewer drinks per day, and increasing the fiber in your diet with whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.

The KDHE Early Detection Works Program provides breast screening services to uninsured women in Kansas. While most insurance plans cover mammograms, an estimated 30,000 women in Kansas between the ages of 40 and 64 are without health insurance. For these uninsured women who meet income criteria, the KDHE Early Detection Works program can pay for clinical breast exams, mammograms and follow-up diagnostic work. Services also are available under certain circumstances for younger women. Should breast cancer be diagnosed in uninsured women through this program, Medicaid through the federal Treatment Act pays for treatment. More information on Early Detection Works program is available by calling toll-free 877-277-1368 or by calling 296-1207 in Topeka.

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