Breast cancer is one of the leading cancer killers of women. Approximately one out of nine American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. More than 44 thousand women die each year from this form of cancer. The following women have a higher risk of developing breast cancer: women over age 50, women whose family members have had breast cancer, especially mothers or sisters, women who've never had children or were over thirty when they had their first child, and women who started menstruating early and/or experienced late menopause. However, in two thirds of cases, women have no identifiable risk factors. For breast cancer, early detection is the best strategy. Almost 90 percent of women who get breast cancer can survive if it's caught in the earliest stages. So stay alert, perform a monthly breast self-exam, have your breasts examined by a physician, and get mammograms as recommended by your doctor. For more information on breast cancer, consult a health care provider.
