An Appalling Epidemic Amongst Women

The most common malignancy in women is breast cancer,
and it is the second major cause of cancer death. Breast
cancer has been accelerating for over 40 years .
In 1960 one out of twenty women would develop breast
cancer, now it is one out of seven. Among all other female
cancers put together breast cancer is three times more
frequent.

According to the American Cancer Society over 200,000
new cases of breast cancer will be identified this year,
and over 40,000 of these people will die.

Men are also affected, for every 100 women diagnosed,
one man will acquire this disease. There are various early
signs of possible malignancy, a single, firm, and usually
painless lump; a part of the skin on the breast or underarm
swells and looks odd; veins become more prominent on the
skin of one breast; the nipple may become inverted,
get a rash, change skin texture, or have an odd discharge;
or a depression may be found in an area of the breast
surface.

Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through
self exams. Not all lumps can be felt, mammograms are
highly advisable. A mammogram can find breast cancer
about two years before it is big enough to be felt. When
breast cancer is discovered early, the five year survival
rate is over 95%.

Breast cancer is attacking women in epidemic proportions,
and we don’t know why. Every two minutes a woman is
diagnosed with breast cancer. This horrible disease behaves
differently in each individual. Research is a need we must
all help with. New drugs and therapies are being discovered
as you read this. But, only through our help and caring can
we combat and, just maybe, eliminate this affliction.