8 Breast Cancer Facts You Should Know
With women being more knowledgeable about warning signs, the importance of self-exams, treatment options, they are better prepared than ever before to confront a breast cancer diagnosis – something an estimated one in eight women will do in her lifetime.
But breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, second only to lung cancer. So, in the spirit of heightening awareness — and screening we've gathered 8 important facts about breast cancer you should know.
- Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the US and the first leading cause of cancer death among women globally.
- A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.
- Exercise reduces breast cancer risk for women of all body types — even lean women, according to Leslie Bernstein, Ph.D., director of biomarkers of early detection and prevention at City of Hope.
- Quit smoking to control risk of many diseases, including breast cancer. Younger women who smoke have a higher risk of breast cancer than their nonsmoking peers
- On average, 55 to 65 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 mutation and around 45 percent of women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer by age 70.
- In the 1970s, breast cancer lifetime risk was one in 11 — compared to today’s one in eight. The good news is part of the reason is due to longer life expectancy and more detection through screening. Other factors include menopausal hormone use, changes in reproductive patterns and the increased prevalence of obesity.
- Most women (about eight out of 10) who get breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease
- The leading risk factor for breast cancer is simply being a woman. Though breast cancer does occur in men, the disease is 100 times more common in women.
