Breast Cancer Resources
- National Cancer Institute
- American Cancer Society
- National Breast Cancer Foundation
- How to perform a breast self-exam (NBCF)
Above are four links that will provide good starting points if anyone wants to learn more about breast cancer.
To my male readers, men DO get breast cancer too! (It's relatively rare though.) Regardless, if you have a wife, a girlfriend, a sister or a mom, it wouldn't hurt you to learn a few basics about the disease.
To my female readers, you know the drill:
- Do monthly breast self-exams.
- Get an annual mammogram if you're 40 or older.
- If other women in your immediate family have had breast cancer (especially at a young age), talk to your doctor about what you can do to better monitor your breast health.
As you may know, there are genetic tests to detect inherited gene mutations associated with breast cancer. Typically, only women who come from "high-risk" families are recommended for these tests. Having one of these mutations does not mean a women will get breast cancer. If you consider or your doctor recommends taking such a test, please talk to a genetic counselor or other similar professional before taking the test. (Most doctors should suggest this, but some may not.)
Finally, if you ever have the chance to participate in a epidemiologic study of breast cancer (or any cancer) either as a case or a control (someone without the disease), please seriously consider it. Such studies are vital to cancer research efforts. Participating in a study, particularly if you have (or have recently had) breast cancer, probably doesn't sound like fun. But usual participation only involves a 1-2 hours long interview and sometimes a brief follow-up interview. That small sacrifice of time can make a big contribution to cancer research.
We will now resume with our regular programming. Thank you.
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