"Support the Fighters", Admire the Survivors", "Honor the Taken" October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every October, people all over the world exposure, some hormone therapies, alcohol use and obesity. For some women show their support for everyone affected by breast cancer, raising awareness of the with a significant family history, genetic testing may be warranted to further assess impact of breast cancer on those we love. Why should we focus on this disease? Sadly, breast cancer risk. Your health care provider may also offer a clinical breast exam as breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States and Hawaii. part of the physical eam. More than 255,000 cases are diagnosed annually in the United States and 42,000 deaths are attributed to breast cancer every year. Hawaii alone will likely see at least For many women, mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early. A 1,390 new cases this year, and 170 deaths. How can we drive these numbers down? mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Having regular mammograms can significantly Breast cancer screening is a vital first step. lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. Screening means checking a woman's breasts for cancer before there are signs Mammography and a healthcare provider's clinical breast exam are two ways we can or symptoms of disease. Although screening cannot prevent breast cancer, find the most breast cancers while they are small. That said, self-exam of the breast is screening can detect breast cancer early, before it spreads and when it is easiest also important. Regularly examining your breasts at least once a month is a convenient to treat. All women should ask their health care provider about the best screening and important way for you to detect early problems. While many women have "lumpy" options for them, In general, most women should start breast cancer screening areas in their breasts, most of these lumps are not cancer. Women are encouraged to at age 40. Women with a family history of breast cancer should have the assessed by a physician and consider screening at an earlier age. Your physician One last point, breast cancer is not unique to women. While the occurrence is much can also assess potential risk factors which include family history, prior radiation lower, men can get breast cancer too. Men should contact their provider if they detect risk discuss any changes or irregularities on self-exam with their doctor. a breast lump. Be smart and stay healthy Hawai'i. John Lauris Wade MD, Hawaii Radiologic Associates & Big Island Docs G Teland DOCS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH www.bigislanddocs.com www.hirad.com "Support the Fighters", Admire the Survivors", "Honor the Taken" October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every October, people all over the world exposure, some hormone therapies, alcohol use and obesity. For some women show their support for everyone affected by breast cancer, raising awareness of the with a significant family history, genetic testing may be warranted to further assess impact of breast cancer on those we love. Why should we focus on this disease? Sadly, breast cancer risk. Your health care provider may also offer a clinical breast exam as breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States and Hawaii. part of the physical eam. More than 255,000 cases are diagnosed annually in the United States and 42,000 deaths are attributed to breast cancer every year. Hawaii alone will likely see at least For many women, mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early. A 1,390 new cases this year, and 170 deaths. How can we drive these numbers down? mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Having regular mammograms can significantly Breast cancer screening is a vital first step. lower the risk of dying from breast cancer. Screening means checking a woman's breasts for cancer before there are signs Mammography and a healthcare provider's clinical breast exam are two ways we can or symptoms of disease. Although screening cannot prevent breast cancer, find the most breast cancers while they are small. That said, self-exam of the breast is screening can detect breast cancer early, before it spreads and when it is easiest also important. Regularly examining your breasts at least once a month is a convenient to treat. All women should ask their health care provider about the best screening and important way for you to detect early problems. While many women have "lumpy" options for them, In general, most women should start breast cancer screening areas in their breasts, most of these lumps are not cancer. Women are encouraged to at age 40. Women with a family history of breast cancer should have the assessed by a physician and consider screening at an earlier age. Your physician One last point, breast cancer is not unique to women. While the occurrence is much can also assess potential risk factors which include family history, prior radiation lower, men can get breast cancer too. Men should contact their provider if they detect risk discuss any changes or irregularities on self-exam with their doctor. a breast lump. Be smart and stay healthy Hawai'i. John Lauris Wade MD, Hawaii Radiologic Associates & Big Island Docs G Teland DOCS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH www.bigislanddocs.com www.hirad.com