Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Stay Aware: Little-Known Breast Cancer Facts

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and CancerPlans.com is joining the effort to promote awareness, share information and provide helpful resources for survivors, patients and at-risk individuals.

Visit http://www.nbcam.org/ for a list of websites and organizations where you can get involved.

The facts about breast cancer are sobering. According to the American Cancer Society, 226,870 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and 39,510 (1 in 36 women) will die. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of female death (lung cancer is the first). If your mother, sister or daughter has had this type of cancer, your own chance of diagnosis increases dramatically.

The good news is that more breast cancer patients are surviving diagnosis and treatment – thanks to medical advances, there are currently 2.9 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. The number keeps growing!

Stay aware this month with a few unusual breast cancer facts you may not have heard:

Slightly more women develop cancer in the left breast than in the right breast. No one knows why.
Developed countries have a higher incidence of breast cancer, while less developed areas have lower incidence rates.
The youngest-known breast cancer survivor, Aleisha Hunter from Ontario, Canada, underwent a double mastectomy in 2010, at age 3.
The first operation ever to use anesthesia was a breast cancer surgery.
About 400 men die of breast cancer every year. Yes, men get breast cancer, too!

Do you have a family member with breast cancer? Are you a current patient, a survivor, or just curious? Here are links to some breast cancer resources you may find helpful.

Breast Cancer Basics:

This article gives you a good overview of breast cancer symptoms, treatments and causes.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/breast-cancer.cfm

Here’s a helpful slideshow that demonstrates how breast cancer works:
http://www.medicinenet.com/breast_cancer_pictures_slideshow/article.htm

The American Cancer Society explains the differences between the various types of breast cancer here:
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/DetailedGuide/breast-cancer-breast-cancer-types

Learn more about the types of available breast cancer treatment:
http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/breast-cancer-treatment

This article gives you the facts about types of breast prostheses:
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/reconstruction/prostheses/types

Here’s a great article that explains breast cancer in kid-friendly terms.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/conditions/breast_cancer.html

True stories from breast cancer survivors:
http://breastcancer.about.com/od/truesurvivors/ss/life-lessons.htm

Are You At Risk?

This “risk calculator” tool helps you see whether your number of cancer risk factors should be a concern:
http://understandingrisk.cancer.gov/a_Breast/02.cfm

This helpful chart shows the correlations between breast cancer and a number of different risk factors – including family cancer history.
http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/BreastCancerRiskFactorsTable.html

This article from the American Cancer Society explains when you should get screened for breast cancer.
http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/FindCancerEarly/CancerScreeningGuidelines/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer

What should you expect during a cancer screening? This article explains:
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm

Resources For Survivors:

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship provides a comprehensive network of information and support:
http://www.canceradvocacy.org/

“Living Beyond Breast Cancer” empowers women in all stages of cancer:
http://www.lbbc.org/

Here’s another link for a worldwide breast cancer survivor support group:
http://www.bcsupport.org/

This page offers a comprehensive list of financial resources for breast cancer patients and survivors.
http://ww5.komen.org/breastcancer/financialresources.html

Join the Fight:

Men Against Breast Cancer:
http://www.menagainstbreastcancer.org/

Susan G. Komen for the Cure:
http://ww5.komen.org/

Prevent Cancer Foundation:
http://preventcancer.org/

If you think you might be at risk for breast cancer, October is the best time to act! A cancer insurance policy pays a lump sum benefit upon first diagnosis of breast cancer, giving you the financial cushion you’ll need to meet your needs and get back on your feet.