Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Key Facts

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation:

• 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
• In 2023, an estimated 297,790 women and 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Chances are, you know at least one person who has been personally affected by breast cancer.
• Approximately 64% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage, before cancer has spread outside of the breast, when it is easiest to treat. The 5-year relative survival rate for cancer diagnosed at the localized stage is 99%.
• All people are born with some breast cells and tissue, including men. Although rare, men get breast cancer too. 

It comes around every year in October, and this October is no exception. It is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about breast cancer risks, the importance of screenings, and options for treatment.

Breast cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer in women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point. Cancer is a broad term for a class of diseases characterized by abnormal cells that grow and invade healthy cells in the body. Breast cancer starts in the cells of the breast as a group of cancer cells that can then invade surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, All people, whether male or female, are born with some breast cells and tissue. Even though males do not develop milk-producing breasts, a man’s breast cells and tissue can still develop cancer. Even so, male breast cancer is very rare. Less than one percent of all breast cancer cases develop in men, and only one in a thousand men will ever be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Make a difference! Spread the word about mammograms, and encourage communities, organizations, families, and individuals to get involved. With early detection and treatment, most women can survive breast cancer.

Quick Links:

DHD#10 – Breast Cancer Screening
National Breast Cancer Foundation – Breast Cancer Facts
National Breast Cancer Foundation – Male Breast Cancer
CDC – Information on Breast Cancer
Michigan Breast Cancer Coalition
Susan G. Komen Michigan
MDHHS – Michigan Cancer Consortium
American Cancer Society