October: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Welcome to Montgomery Sword Author's blog!

Breast cancer can strike either gender at any time. In the U.S. it is the 2nd highest cancer fatality among women, surpassed only by lung cancer. African-Americans have a 47% higher mortality rate from breast cancer than do Caucasians, primarily thought to be due to later diagnosis.
Men, you might be susceptible as well. For information see
Detailed Guide to Breast Cancer in Men
at
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/CRI_2_3x.asp?dt=28

*RISK FACTORS *
For Women
Increasing age
Early menarche (before age 12) or late menopause (after age 55) Never giving birth or having a first child after age 30
Use of hormone replacement therapy for more than 5 years
History of radiation exposure for Hodgkin’s disease or radiation of the thymus
Decreased level of physical activity, increased alcohol use (2-5 drinks/day), obesity, or high fat diet
History of previous abnormal *breast* biopsies
Strong family history that includes:
Two or more relatives (on the same side of the family) diagnosed with *breast* *cancer* at any age
One relative diagnosed with *breast* *cancer* before age 50 or ovarian *cancer* at any age
A male relative diagnosed with *breast* *cancer*
Being a known or suspected carrier of either BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutations
http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:v7N6diqcV4QJ:www.michigancancer.org/PDFs/MDCHFactSheets/BrCAAwarenessMonthFactSheet-Oct06.pdf+October+Breast+Cancer+Awareness+Month&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=us&client=netscape-pp

Readers need to be aware of the risks and dangers of this disease. Further information is available at many sites including:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_National_Breast_Cancer_Awareness_Month.asp
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_National_Breast_Cancer_Awareness_Month.asp
http://www.pinkoctober.org