Community
BY KAREN CHANEY
Q&A: National Breast Cancer Foundation talks awareness, detection Although Breast Cancer Awareness Month is celebrated in October, Cinthia Gonzalez, National Breast Cancer Foundation director of education and outreach, said the organization works to bring awareness year round. The Texas-based nonpro t organization aims to provide education, early detection and support services to women a ected by breast cancer. In an interview with Community Impact , Gonzalez provided insight into breast cancer screening recommendations, bene ts of detecting breast cancer earlier than later and more. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What happens nationwide during October with Breast Cancer Awareness Month? It is a month where the nation, and globally, women become aware about breast health and breast cancer, so you’ll see a lot of companies that will partner with breast cancer charities or breast cancer organizations, and they will show the pink ribbon as a sign of support. This is also a time when the color pink turns up everywhere. It started with a campaign in the very early ‘90s, whenever it was noticed that there was a very high mortality rate for women who were diagnosed with breast cancer. Something had to be done about it, and that is what started Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What breast cancer screening recommendations does NBCF make? NBCF, along with various other institutions and all of our partner hospitals, recommend that
women that are at average risk of developing breast cancer start their baseline mammogram, their very rst mammogram, at the age of 40, and every year after that. Average risk means that there are no known risk factors that could increase the likeli- hood of an individual being diagnosed with breast cancer, such as previous family history of breast cancer. What are the bene ts of detecting breast cancer earlier than later? We believe that early detection saves lives. When breast cancer is detected early, the chances of survival dramatically increase. About 66% of breast cancers are found at a localized stage—before the cancer has spread outside of the breast tissue. How is a breast self-examination done? Pick a day in the month that the woman will remember; it needs to be consistent. If they are still menstruating, it would be after their menstrual cycle, when their breasts are no longer as tender as they would be if they were in their menstrual cycle. If they have gone through menopause, they can pick whatever day of the month they’ll remember. Check the whole breast, using the pads of your three middle ngers pressing down with light, medium and rm pressure. What are warning signs women should watch for? Any changes in the breast and the breast tissue— from the collarbone, down to the breast, to the end of the breast, including the area underneath the underarm—that is all breast tissue. It could be physical changes like a lump or pain when you touch a certain area. It could also be visual changes, like liquid coming out of the nipple. ... There needs to be a conversation with the doctor because there are other breast conditions, and eight out of 10 lumps found are not breast cancer.
Cinthia Gonzalez is the director of education and outreach for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
KAREN CHANEY COMMUNITY IMPACT
Words to know
Chemotherapy:
A treatment method that uses a combination of drugs to either destroy cancer cells or slow down the growth of cancer cells.
Lumpectomy:
Usually removes the least amount of breast tissue needed to get the tumor out and a margin of healthy tissue around it
Mastectomy:
In the past, breast cancer surgery often required removing the entire breast, chest wall and lymph nodes through a total radical mastectomy. Now, less severe surgery options exist.
To read the full story, visit communityimpact.com .
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