October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

By April Speck, Coordinator,

Clinton County Healthy Hometown Coalition

What are the key statistics about breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers. About one in eight (12 percent) women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime.

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2013 are:

• About 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.

• About 64,640 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).

• About 39,620 women will die from breast cancer.

At this time there are more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. Currently, a woman living in the US has a 12.15 percent, or a one in eight, lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Women with breast cancer also are at risk for developing a second primary cancer. There is a strong relationship between younger age at diagnosis of the primary breast cancer and risk of subsequent cancer. Women diagnosed with early onset breast cancer (age <40) have almost a three-fold increased risk of any subsequent cancer with a four and one-half-fold increased risk of subsequent breast cancer. Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2011-2012.

Prevention

1. Maintain a healthy weight throughout life.

2. Balance calorie intake with physical activity.

3. Avoid excessive weight gain throughout life.

4. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight if currently overweight or obese.

5. Adopt a physically active lifestyle.

6. Adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, above usual activities, on five or more days of the week; 45 to 60 minutes of intentional physical activity is preferable.

7. Children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least five days per week.

8. Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant sources.

9. Choose foods and drinks in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

10. Eat five or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.

11. Choose whole grains over processed (refined) grains.

12. Limit intake of processed and red meats.

13. If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit your intake. Women should drink no more than one drink per day (or two per day for men)

Screening

The American Cancer Society recommends that women receive an annual mammogram beginning at 40 years of age. It is especially important that women receive regular mammograms.

Local Statistics

By comparing cancer rates at 1 in every 100,000 residents, across the 10 county district, Clinton County ranks the highest in cancer incidences with a rating of 622.2. The rating for the state level is 523.4 and 538.8 for the nation.

For female breast cancer incidences, Clinton County is at a 207.3 rating, where the state level rating is at 147.9 and the national rate is 119.3.

The female breast cancer death rate in Clinton County is 40.4, with a state level rate of 25 and a national rate of 26.9.

For more information contact April Speck, Healthy Hometown Coordinator 606-306-7044 or april.speck@clinton.kyschools.us

Healthy Hometown is working toward a “healthy” Clinton County.