Except for skin cancers, breast
cancer is the most common cancer in women, but it can be successfully treated.
Screening tests can find cancer early, when it’s most treatable.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, a
member charity of Community Health Charities, recommends that you:
1. Know your risk
- Talk to
your family to learn about your family health history
- Talk to
your provider about your personal risk of breast cancer
2. Get screened
- Ask
your doctor which screening tests are right for you if you are at a higher risk
- Have a
mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk
- Have a
clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at age 20, and every year
starting at age 40
3. Know what is normal for you
See your health care provider if you notice any of these breast changes:
- Lump,
hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm area
- Swelling,
warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
- Change
in the size or shape of the breast
- Dimpling
or puckering of the skin
- Itchy,
scaly sore or rash on the nipple
- Pulling
in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
- Nipple
discharge that starts suddenly
- New
pain in one spot that doesn’t go away
To see illustrations of these
warnings signs, please visit the Breast Facts section provided by Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
4. Make healthy lifestyle
choices
- Maintain
a healthy weight
- Add
exercise into your routine
- Limit
alcohol intake
- Limit
postmenopausal hormone use
- Breastfeed,
if you can
Breast
Self-Awareness Cards
Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
offers a variety of breast self-awareness cards in different languages and for
specific populations. You can download and print these cards
for yourself.
For more
information about breast self-awareness, please click here.
Source: Susan G. Komen for the Cure
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