Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2024: a call to action
Breast cancer is a classification of cancer caused by uncontrolled cell growth in the breast area. Although women are more prone to breast cancer, it can happen to anyone, as breast tissues are present in everyone. Timely intervention is crucial to breast cancer as it can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated. The WHO has reported Breast cancer as the most common cancer in the world, with around 2.3 million new cases every year. Reports from the American Cancer Society specify that the average risk of a woman developing breast cancer in the USA is around 13%. As per the estimates of the National Cancer Institute, approximately 310,720 women in the USA are projected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024, with about 42,250 projected mortality because of it. Recognizing the impact of breast cancer and reducing the mortality rate associated with it, various campaigns and support group initiatives are established in most countries to raise breast cancer awareness activities for prevention and treatment.
At a glance: rate of new cases and deaths
Why is October called breast cancer awareness month?
Breast cancer awareness month is celebrated every October across all the nations to create awareness about breast cancer among common people and promote early diagnosis and treatment while also raising funds for its research. October is celebrated as the breast cancer awareness month with pink ribbons symbolized as the breast cancer awareness ribbon representing hope and support for the women battling breast cancer. The first effort to bring together everyone fighting breast cancer and promote awareness of the disease among the general public was initiated as a week-long event in the USA in October 1985. This event was a collaborative campaign by the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries (now AstraZeneca) to promote mammograms as the most effective tool for the early detection of breast cancer. Since then, October has been regarded as the international breast cancer awareness month.
The major objectives of breast cancer awareness month 2024 include the following.
- To raise awareness among the public on the impact of breast cancer, its significance, prevalence, and the need to prevent, diagnose, and treat it.
- To encourage regular breast cancer screenings, which can include self-screenings and mammograms for early diagnosis and breast cancer management.
- To educate people on breast cancer risk factors and decrease the incidence rate by promoting a healthy lifestyle.
- To raise money to fund the research associated with breast cancer management.
- To honor the breast cancer survivors and support the people battling it by making strides against breast cancer.
- To foster a community to promote support by addressing common misconceptions pertaining to breast cancer
At a glance: percent of new cases by age group (among women)
Source: National Cancer Institute
What are the risk factors of breast cancer?
Researchers are trying to find out the exact cause of breast cancer. However, it is noted that a combination of genetic and environmental factors plays a major role in the development of breast cancer. The following are some of the factors that can increase the risk of breast cancer for an individual in his lifetime.
- Gender: Though breast cancer can occur in men, women have a higher chance of developing breast cancer. The American Cancer Society states that one in eight women in the USA has the probability of developing breast cancer in their lifetime.
- Age: Age is a general risk factor for breast cancer as it is more prevalent in middle-aged and older women, as per the report by the American Cancer Society.
- Family history of breast cancer: Genetics is another important factor causing breast cancer. If anyone in your family has a history of breast cancer, then the family members have a higher probability of developing it in their lifetime.
- Hormonal factors: Early menstruation before the age of 12 and late menopause after the age of 55 increase the incidence rate of breast cancer.
- Lifestyle factors: Lifestyle factors are the external factors that can increase the risk of developing breast cancer for a person. These lifestyle causes of breast cancer include obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and a sedentary lifestyle.
- Radiation exposure: Exposure to radiation treatment to the chest during childhood or adulthood can cause a higher risk of breast cancer.
- Personal history: A personal history of breast cancer or any other form of cancer at any point in the person’s life increases the risk of developing breast cancer.
Early detection and use of screening tools
Like any form of cancer, early detection can help you cure breast cancer to a greater extent. According to the breast cancer statistics defined by the American Cancer Society, the survival rate of women early diagnosed with the initial stage of localized breast cancer is 90%. As the cancer progresses, it will affect the other parts of your body, making it difficult to treat. The US Preventive Services Taskforce recommends mammography screening to be done at least once every two years on the high-risk population (women who are 40 to 74 years old) for the early detection of breast cancer. Mammograms and Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging are the most popular breast cancer screening tools for detection. In addition, various research is undergoing to implement predictive interventions for breast cancer detection by analyzing the presence of gene mutations that may increase the risk of an individual developing the disease in the future. Above all, it is important for anyone finding any variations or possible symptoms around the breast area to consult a doctor and report it.
What can individuals do to prevent breast cancer?
Prevention is better than cure. The theme of breast cancer awareness month 2024 is “No One Should Face This Battle Alone.” This signifies the importance of a community as a whole to support and uplift the individuals who are facing the dilemma of breast cancer. While addressing it, we have to emphasize the steps to avoid the occurrence of breast cancer and reduce the mortality rates associated with it. Here are some preventive care measures that can be taken at an individual level and healthcare facilities level to make strides against breast cancer.
- Follow a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise.
- If you have a family history of breast cancer, have regular checkups done to navigate the risks with the help of early diagnosis.
- If undergoing any kind of hormone replacement therapy, limit the dosage.
- Limit the consumption of alcohol and smoking habits.
- Do a monthly self-examination of your breast to check for any abnormalities.
- Practice an active lifestyle with exercise in your routine.
- If you have a higher risk of breast cancer, you can consider prophylactic mastectomy, a preventive surgery to remove breasts.
What your healthcare facility can do to prevent breast cancer
If you run a healthcare facility, here are some measures you can take to spread breast cancer awareness:
- Educate patients on the importance of early detection ofbreast cancer and treating it.
- Hospitals can collaborate with non-governmental organizations to provide free breast cancer screening sessions and women’s health initiatives in various communities.
- Healthcare facilities can support people efficiently screening for breast cancers by hiring radiologists who can effectively generate mammogram reports.
- Implement preventive care programs that focus on promoting a healthier lifestyle.
- Provide on-the-job training to your hired radiologists to keep them updated on the latest technologies and screening guidelines for breast cancer.
Conclusion
Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaigns are conducted throughout the month of October, where healthcare facilities, non-profit organizations, research institutes, and activists come together to collaborate for a common cause. The campaign has created a significant impact in spreading awareness of breast cancer detection and prevention, even in women of underserved communities. Raising breast cancer awareness can thus boost individuals to take preventive care actions by busting common misconceptions surrounding it. As responsible individuals, we all can support the campaign by volunteering, fundraising, advocating, or simply being there for someone who is struggling with breast cancer in solidarity. Together, we can make an impact!
About MedSquirrels staffing platform
MedSquirrels is an AI-enabled medical staffing platform that helps with end-to-end healthcare recruiting needs. Our platform supports both contract and full-time radiologist hiring through our various plans. With MedSquirrels, facilities are assured of getting top-class healthcare professionals. Furthermore, MedSquirrels’ platform takes care of sourcing top talent, interviewing them, compliance verification, onboarding, credentialing, and payrolling to save time and cost for facilities. Compared with other staffing agencies that charge huge markups to hire radiologists, our platform charges only a license fee and the provider’s payroll cost. Thus, facilities get top talent while their hired radiologist receives above industry-standard compensation. Book a demo if you are interested in learning more about how our radiologist hiring platform works.
