Public Spark

October is breast cancer awareness month. Last year, I wrote a blog about a dear friend whom I lost to breast cancer. There are also a set of links with general information, support group information, as well as recommended books. This year, I will do a three part series on what breast cancer is, early treatment options and ways to detect breast cancer available for breast cancer.

Breast Cancer is a group of abnormal cells that form in the breast. There are a variety of different types of Breast Cancer. American Cancer Society lists these types in more detail.

Researchers estimate more than 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women and 1990 new cases in U.S. men. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. 2.4 million women living in the U.S. have been diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer.

There are certain factors that make increase risk for women to get breast cancer:

• Family history

  A woman whose sisters, aunts, daughters, mothers have had breast cancer are more likely to get it as well. It has been estimated that 5 to 10 percent of the cases are a result of inherited mutations in the BRCA1 an BRAC2 genes.

• Age

  As women get older, the risk increases.

• Diet and lifestyle choices

  Smoking, high-fat diets, drinking alcohol, lack of exercise can all add more risk for developing breast cancer.

• Menstruation length and time

  The risk can increase if you have a longer menstrual life, small family or first child after 18 yrs old. Women who begin menstruating before age 12 are at a increased risk of developing breast cancer.