October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in American women with over 3.1 million cancer survivors in the United States (including women that are still being treated). Each year, the month of October serves as a reminder to reflect and raise awareness about the second leading cause of cancer death in women. To help bring awareness, here are seven facts about breast cancer that you may not have heard about before.
- Most women who get breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease.
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Source: The American Cancer Society.
- One in eight women will develop breast cancer.
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Source: Penn Medicine
- Exercise reduces breast cancer risk in women of all body types.
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Source: City of Hope
- Because of advances in medicine, the five-year relative survival rate for women with breast cancer is about 90%.
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Source: City of Hope
- The pink ribbon is the international symbol for breast cancer awareness.
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Source: Penn Medicine
- It is rare, but men get breast cancer too.
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Source: National Breast Cancer Foundation
- On average, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every two minutes in the U.S.
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Source: National Breast Cancer Foundation
This October, I encourage you to reach out to family and friends that have been affected by breast cancer in any way and educate yourself about self examinations (and wear a pink ribbon!).