Story Submitted: Kimberly Allbritton, Florida Department of Health
Attention all ladies, this article is a reminder to take a little time off from caring for all of your loved ones and care for yourself. October is known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Florida Department of Health of Madison County wants to stress how important it is to do monthly self-exams, which can detect breast cancer early and increase the chance of finding it before it spreads.
Since 2010, 14 women in Madison County have died due to breast cancer. Ten of the 14 deaths occurred in white, non-hispanic women and four occurred in black, non-hispanic women. No hispanic women have died due to breast cancer since 2004.
There are risk factors that women cannot change. Consider the following when deciding your personal risk for breast cancer:
•The risk of breast cancer increases with age; most breast cancers are diagnosed after age 50.
•Women with dense breasts are more likely to get breast cancer. This means your breast has more connective tissue than fatty tissue. It is harder to find breast cancer tumors if breasts are dense.
•Women who have had breast cancer are more likely to get breast cancer a second time.
•You are at higher risk for breast cancer if your mother, sister or daughter has had breast cancer. Multiple members on either your mother or father's side of the family can also mean an increased risk. Women who have inherited the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation are at higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
•Women who had radiation therapy to the chest or breasts for other diseases have a higher risk of getting breast cancer later in life.
•Women who took the drug, diethylstilbestrol (DES), which was given to some pregnant women in the United States between 1940 and 1971 to prevent the risk of miscarriage, have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Women whose mothers took DES while pregnant with them are also at risk.
There are also risk factors that you can change which can decrease your risk:
•Become physically active. Women who are physically active decrease their risk of getting breast cancer.
•Maintain a healthy weight. Older women at a healthy weight have less risk of getting breast cancer than women who are overweight or obese.
•Discuss hormone therapy and birth control pills with your physician. Some forms of hormone replacement therapy and some birth control pills increase your risk for getting breast cancer.
•Pregnant women should breastfeed. Breastfeeding reduces your risk of getting breast cancer.
•Limit alcohol. Women who drink alcohol less often reduce their risk of breast cancer.
Research suggests that other factors such as smoking, not having children or not being able to carry a pregnancy to full term may increase breast cancer risk later in life.
The Florida Department of Health encourages all women to do self-exams at least once per month. The health department has shower cards and other pictures to show you how to do a self-exam. Here are some things to look for:
•New lump in the breast or armpit
•Thickening or swelling of part of the breast
•Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
•Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast
•Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area
•Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood
•Any change in the size or the shape of the breast
•Pain in any area of the breast
These are some signs of breast cancer, they can also be a sign of problems that are not cancer. If you notice any of these, make an appointment with your physician.
The Florida Department of Health of Madison County has scheduled the mobile mammogram unit event for Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Haffye Hayes Park, in Greenville. There will be a prior event in Monticello on Monday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Woman's Club, located at 975 E Pearl St., in Monticello. Most insurance is accepted. If you have Medicaid or no insurance, you may qualify for a voucher.
If you are between the ages of 50 and 64 and have a low income or do not have insurance, you may qualify for a free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screen through the Florida Department of Health's breast and cervical cancer early detection program.
For more information, please call the Florida Department of Health of Madison County at (850) 973-5000.