October marks the beginning of a month dedicated to a topic we can all learn more about: breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 246,660 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and about 40,450 women will die from invasive breast cancer. As the second leading cause of cancer death in women, breast cancer affects a range of women in different stages of life. The leading question then becomes: “What can I do, as a woman, to reduce my risk of developing breast cancer?”
The risk of developing breast cancer is contingent on many factors, but is mainly attributed to genetic inheritance, being a woman, and aging. In fact, the invasive breast cancer is mostly found in women 55 years old and over. Yet, there are lifestyle-related factors that can also increase cancer risk. It has been shown that drinking alcohol, obesity, using oral contraceptives, or having children, are additional factors that slightly increase the chances of developing breast cancer.
Although we cannot control many of these factors, one thing is certain. It is always a good thing to mantain your physical health, to be informed about your family history, and to get regular screenings for early detection of cancerous abnormalities in the breast.
If you are a student at UC Irvine and wish to get more involved, Colleges Against Cancer is an on-campus organization that workd with Relay for Life to spread awareness and funds for cancer research. Be aware. Take action. Do what you can to fight the battle against breast cancer for women.