October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Here’s how to check for signs and do a breast self-exam

Breast cancer affects many women and men daily. Every year the American Cancer Society estimates how many women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and the numbers have increased by 0.5% per year. In 2024, there will be about 310,720 women and 2,790 men diagnosed with invasive breast cancer per the American Cancer Society. While there’s a lower number of men diagnosed than women, checking for breast cancer symptoms is vital. Doing a monthly breast self-exam helps detect symptoms quicker than waiting for your annual routine physical with a doctor. 

Common symptoms include lumps formed around the breast or near your underarms, large pores that may cause skin texture, and tenderness or change in the appearance of the nipples. In addition, if there’s any redness, dimpling, or sudden change in breast shape, it’s best to get any of these signs checked by a medical professional. There will be instances where you may feel a small lump, but they can be non-cancerous. Typically, women between the ages of 45 and 62 can be diagnosed with breast cancer, but it’s ideal to perform self-exams in your 20s and 30s to be cautious. If something doesn’t feel right, always get it looked at. 

Even though middle-aged and older women are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer, many other risks can cause invasive breast cancer. For instance, alcohol consumption levels, physical inactivity, Type 2 diabetes, one first-degree relative diagnosis, or no full-term pregnancies via the American Cancer Society. However, these risks don’t mean you’ll get breast cancer since mutated cells form on their own without an exact explanation other than a healthy cell’s DNA got damaged. The cause of damaged DNA is a mystery. 

For now, we can take care of ourselves and those close to us. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the National Breast Cancer Foundation is sending out a free breast cancer detection guide that goes in-depth about signs, symptoms, and different ways to perform a breast self-exam. Plus, it’s the best time to check out their website and learn how you can get more involved with the foundation. The NBCF is always taking donations to support women who can’t pay for their mammograms or need support services. They also have merchandise you can purchase, from beaded wallets, ribbon necklaces, t-shirts, and socks, and all the proceeds go toward the foundation.