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Black Women & Breast Cancer: Facts vs. Fiction

BY THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

Do you know someone affected by breast cancer—an aunt, sister, mother, wife or friend?  You are not alone.  One in eight women born today will learn they have breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  More unsettling: African-American women are more likely to die from breast cancer than any other ethnic group.

These disturbing facts are why it is so important to arm yourself with the knowledge you need about breast cancer prevention, screening, treatment and survivorship.  The more you know about how to reduce your risk and make informed decisions, the better prepared you can be to confront the disease and survive.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a great reason to explore the comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date information about breast cancer from the National Cancer Institute, the federal government’s lead cancer research entity. All of the information, tools, and resources are based on over 70 years of cancer research by cancer experts and doctors.  In recognition of this important awareness month, our experts debunked three common breast cancer myths for you:

Myth # 1: A breast cancer diagnosis is an automatic death sentence.

Thanks to decades of research, as of 2004, there were over 10.8 million cancer survivors across the United States, nearly a quarter of whom are breast cancer survivors. And over 75 percent of African-American women live at least five years after the diagnosis.

Despite progress, African-American women are still more likely to die from breast cancer than their white counterparts. It doesn’t have to stay that way; screening for breast cancer before there are symptoms can help doctors find and treat breast cancer early. To find breast cancer early, NCI recommends that women in their 40s and older should have mammograms every 1 to 2 years. Women who are younger than 40 and have risk factors for breast cancer should ask their health care provider whether to have mammograms and how often to have them. Treatment is more likely to work well when cancer is found early. In other words, regular screening may save your life.

You can learn more about breast cancer screening by reading NCI’s booklet Get A Mammogram: Do It Yourself, Do It for Your Family, which can be requested online (www.cancer.gov).  Other helpful resources are also available on the breast cancer portal page (www.cancer.gov/breast).

Myth # 2: There is no way to reduce my risk for breast cancer.

There are several effective ways to reduce—though not eliminate—the risk of breast. Examples include lifestyle changes, such as minimizing alcohol consumption, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking. The more you know about how to reduce your risk and make informed decisions, the better prepared you can be to confront the disease and prevent or survive it.

New ways to prevent and treat breast cancer are being studied in clinical trials across the country. Clinical trials are critical to our ability to eliminate breast cancer disparities because they help us learn about causes of cancer and how the disease works in different segments of the population. Take some time this month to learn about clinical trials and whether they are right for you. To learn more about cancer clinical trials, visit the NCI’s clinical trials portal page (http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials) or contact the toll-free Cancer Information Service (1-800-4CANCER).

Myth #3: If breast cancer doesn't run in your family, you won't get it.

While a woman's risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer, the disease does not discriminate. Every woman has some risk of cancer, and many who get breast cancer have no known family history of disease. In fact, there are many risk factors for breast cancer besides family history, such as high alcohol consumption and obesity.  It is equally important, however, to remember that not every breast cancer patient has these risk factors, and not every woman with these risk factors gets the disease.

On www.Cancer.gov, you can access a variety of helpful fact sheets on breast cancer risk and other topics, such as Estimating Breast Cancer Risk: Questions and Answers. With your doctor, you can discuss your personal risk and concerns, screening and prevention methods that are right for you.

If you prefer to get your information via the telephone, dial NCI’s toll-free Cancer Information Service (CIS) between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:30 pm local time at 1-800-4-CANCER where an information specialist will be waiting on the other end of the line to talk with you. CIS information specialists have access to information about the most recent advances in cancer treatment. They are skilled in explaining medical information in understandable terms, the service is confidential, and they can help you find the information that you need.

Cancer myths and misinformation won’t help you, but the facts will. Don’t let this month pass you by without knowing the most accurate, most complete information about breast cancer from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). These are free resources that you and your loved ones can’t afford to overlook.

The National Cancer Institute is the nation’s cancer research agency. For more information about cancer research and resources, visit www.cancer.gov or call toll-free 1-800-4CANCER.

Helpful Links

• www.cancer.gov
• www.cancer.gov/breast
• www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials

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