BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Breast cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. The American Cancer Society estimates 40,290 women will die from breast cancer in the U.S. in 2015.²

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Know what breast cancer can look and feel like.^2,3

Symptoms of breast cancer can include lumps or thickening of skin in the breast or underarm areas, changes in the size or shape of the breast, dimpling, puckering, scaly, red or swollen skin on any area of the breast, an inverted (turned inward) nipple, or leakage of fluid (especially bloody) from the nipple.

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5-10% of breast cancers are due to a hereditary (inherited) cause.² The most common hereditary causes of breast cancer are mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Hear about one patient’s journey with hereditary breast cancer.

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Breast cancer does not only affect women.

It is estimated that 2,350 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. in 2015.⁴

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Check your breasts for lumps. Eight out of 10 breast lumps are discovered by women themselves.⁵

Be aware of how your breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to a health professional.

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BRCA positive women who have had breast cancer ALSO have up to a 12.7% risk for ovarian cancer to develop within 10 years of their breast cancer diagnosis. Knowing this allows BRCA+ women to TAKE ACTION to help reduce the likelihood of ovarian cancer, following a breast cancer diagnosis.⁶

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Women of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage are at higher risk of having BRCA mutation. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends testing for BRCA mutations for Ashkenazi Jewish women if they have a first-degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer or two second-degree relatives on the same side of the family with breast or ovarian cancer.⁷

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In addition to BRCA1 and BRCA2, other genes can increase the risk for breast cancer. Learn more about these genes here.

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Risk factors for breast cancer include: A mutation in a hereditary breast cancer gene, personal or family history of breast cancer, obesity, exposure to estrogen and progesterone (combined hormone therapy) after menopause, excessive alcohol use, among others.⁸

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Women with the BRCA1 genetic mutation can have up to an 87% risk of developing breast cancer by age 70. (compared to the average woman’s risk of 12.3% to age 80)⁹

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Medical guidelines recommend those at general population risk for breast cancer have regular screening. Beginning in the 20s, these include: clinical breast exam every 1-3 years, and self-awareness of breast changes.¹⁰

Beginning at ages 40-50 these include: annual clinical breast exams, annual mammograms, self-awareness of breast changes.¹⁰ For those at increased risk (e.g., >20% lifetime risk of breast cancer), the following screening changes may be warranted: clinical breast exams every 6-12 months, annual mammograms and MRIs beginning 10 years prior to the youngest age of diagnosis in the family but not less than age 30, breast awareness, and consideration of other risk reduction strategies.¹⁰

Individuals with greater breast cancer risk may require a more intensive medical management plan after consultation with your health care professional.

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Women at increased risk for breast cancer have risk-reducing options – such as risk-reducing medications (like tamoxifen and raloxifene) and risk-reducing surgeries (for example double mastectomy with reconstruction). These options should be discussed with a medical professional and considered based on a number of factors including personal history, family history and/or the identification of a gene mutation.¹¹

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A family history of breast cancer is also important for men to know.

Not only could a hereditary breast cancer syndrome impact their female relatives, but men with certain genetic mutations are also at increased risk for cancers of the prostate, pancreas, and melanoma. Hear John’s journey after being diagnosed with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome.

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If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you’re up to four times more likely to develop a new cancer in the same breast or in the other breast.¹³

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A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.¹⁴

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Knowing your personal and family cancer family history can help your doctor prevent breast cancer or detect it at an earlier stage. Hear about how knowing her cancer family history helped Marissa prevent cancer.

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Chemotherapy can be given before or after surgery for breast cancer. Most of the time it is given after surgery, which is called adjuvant chemotherapy. However, sometimes it is given before surgery and is known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.¹⁵

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There are many advocacy organizations that provide a community of support for women at all different stages of a breast cancer diagnosis or those who are finished with treatment and living their “new normal.” Click here for a list of resources that will empower patients and their families with information

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Targeted therapy is a novel way to treat breast cancer and is different than standard chemotherapy. These types of treatments target specific genetic changes in the cancer cells and generally cause different (and frequently less severe) side effects.¹⁶

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The first targeted therapy developed for breast cancer was Herceptin. It was approved for use in breast cancer by the FDA in 1998. Herceptin targets overexpression of the Her2 gene.¹⁷

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends that all breast tumors be tested for Her2 status as part of the standard clinical workup.¹⁸

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In some cases, a double mastectomy can lower the chance of developing breast cancer to less than 10%.¹⁹

Read about Angelina Jolie-Pitt’s choice to have a risk-reducing double mastectomy after learning that she was positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation.

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Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for about 15-20 percent of all breast cancers.^{20, 21} Some breast cancers test negative for 2 hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptors and HER2 (a growth-promoting protein). These breast cancers are called triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).²²

Testing negative for these three markers means commonly used hormone therapy and targeted drugs are typically not successful in treating these cancers. Chemotherapy may still be helpful. Women diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer before age 60 should be evaluated further for genetic risk.²³

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Patients with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) and a BRCA mutation may frequently benefit from the addition of a platinum-based chemotherapy drug.²⁴

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Companion diagnostic tests help physicians identify which patients are most likely to benefit from a particular drug.

In cancer these tests can help physicians chose the best chemotherapy treatment for your individual tumor.²⁵

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If you have breast cancer and are BRCA positive you may be eligible for a clinical trial investigating targeted therapy with a new class of drugs called PARP inhibitors. Discuss this option with your health care provider.

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Knowledge is power – talk to your doctor today about your personal or family history of breast cancer. Find a health care professional here.

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