Awareness

Author: Kimberly N. Powell, DDS, MS, FAGD

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I cannot imagine the emotional and physical toll that a woman endures during diagnosis and treatment. I do know the emotions that a family member/friend feels. According to BreastCancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 13%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Breast cancer became the most common cancer globally as of 2021, accounting for 12% of all new annual cancer cases worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and about 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer and occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations. According to the American Cancer Society, women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms if they wish to do so, women age 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year, and women 55 and older should switch to mammograms every 2 years, or continue yearly screening. For patients being diagnosed, treated, recovering from breast cancer, family, friends, coworkers, partners are here to help, to pray, to love.