Think Pink: Spreading Breast Cancer Awareness

My grandmother had five daughters. Of those five, four were diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 50. Luckily, all four went into remission and are now cancer-free. Breast cancer has always been a part of my life. Mammograms were non-negotiable, and self-exams were frequent. To state it simply, boobs were everywhere when I was growing up, and it was normal to talk about breast health. It wasn’t until about eighth grade that I realized not every family knew what the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were. 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and while not everyone can share my family’s breast cancer wisdom, there are some basic facts that every woman should know. Women’s health is commonly ignored and under-discussed within the medical world. The only way to spread awareness about our issues is to talk about them. 

Unfortunately, female breasts have gained quite the stigma, even though 50% of the population has them. Young boys are taught to idealize them, and young girls are taught to be embarrassed by them. This stigma has more than social effects. Women are less likely to receive CPR in a public incident simply because of their breasts. Studies show that men are afraid to “inappropriately touch” or believe that chest compressions hurt more for women. This disinformation seems unavoidable when taking into account that only 5%  of CPR training mannequins have female anatomy. 

American women have a 13% risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. The median age for this cancer diagnosis is 63, and it typically affects middle-aged women. As of recently, breast cancer incidents have risen one percent per year. Despite the increase in diagnoses, breast cancer death rates have steadily decreased since 1989. Breast cancer is not one single disease, but a collection of many different cancers affecting the breast. The two most common kinds of breast cancer are invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). 

The first note of breast cancer history is from the ancient Egyptians, when the condition was described quite accurately in 460 B.C. by Hippocrates. He named this kind of cancer “karkinos,” Greek for crab, because the tumors appeared to have tentacles like the legs of a crab. More than 2,000 years later, an Italian physician proposed that breast cancer could develop from a lack of sexual activity. He was not the last man to propose such a theory; many others blamed childlessness, depressive episodes, vigorous sex, and curdled milk. 

There are many misconceptions about breast cancer. Some people believe that wearing a specific kind of bra means you are more likely to develop masses within your breast. However, there is no scientific study linking bra usage to breast cancer. While breast cancer mainly affects women, it is entirely possible for a man to be diagnosed, with about one percent of men having breast cancer diagnoses. Additionally, many women believe that if they have larger breasts, they are more likely to develop breast cancer. That being said, there is no connection between breast size and cancer. What does matter is how dense your breast tissue is, as women with denser tissue and less fat in their breasts are four times more likely to develop cancer in that area. 

There are many signs of breast health, and exams can be done at home by yourself. The most common sign and symptom of breast cancer is a noticeable lump or thickened area of skin. Another sign is a flattened nipple, possibly even one that is concave inward or changing direction. While a diagnosis like this is incredibly frightening, the combined survival rate of all breast cancers is over 90%, with the number increasing the earlier the cancer is caught. 

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