Stephanie Rochon, Anchor WTVR CBS 6
Early detection and treatment offers those with breast cancer the best chance for survival.
by Camisha L. Jones
“Being a survivor of breast cancer has taught me that in this life I can tackle anything,” says Nichole Allen who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 at the age of 27. Allen is president of the Richmond chapter of Sisters Network Inc., a national survivorship organization committed to increasing local and national attention to the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community.
This October is the 25th annual observance of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). Throughout October, many in our community will wear pink ribbons and distribute information about breast cancer in honor of survivors like Allen, those who are currently battling the disease and those who have died because of it. Ultimately, the campaign is an attempt to save lives and there is significant evidence that the annual awareness surge is making a difference. According to NBCAM’s website, mammography use has doubled and breast cancer death rates have declined since 1985 when NBCAM began. But more needs to be done and much can be done specifically in the African American community.
Consider these facts from the American Cancer Society’s report, “Cancer Facts and Figures for African Americans 2011-2012”:
Volunteers walked throughout the Church Hill Community on a mission to help stop the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American community.
The most commonly diagnosed cancer for African American women to have is breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death for African American women.
According to that same report, there are also significant differences between the experiences of white and African American women who have breast cancer. African American women age 45 and younger are more likely to have breast cancer than white women of the same age. African American women are also less likely than white women to survive 5 years after being diagnosed with breast cancer. In fact, African American women of any age are more likely to die of breast cancer than white women.
Vigilance on the part of African American women can help shift these alarming statistics. There are many reasons the American Cancer Society believes these discrepancies exist. Two causes that African American women have the power to address are changing the trend of not getting mammograms frequently enough and not following up on suspicious test results quickly enough.
Hesitance is understandable. Most people I know hate going to the doctor and doctor’s visits are time consuming. Time is a scarce resource for most of the women I know who are juggling demanding careers, family responsibilities and a myriad of other things they need or want to do. Allen urges women to make this a priority as well, saying, “Women are busy with their careers and that’s great! But let’s take care of ourselves so that we have a longer time in life to enjoy those careers or whatever endeavors [we choose] in life.”
“When it comes to breast cancer prevention, we need to first know our body,” says Allen sharing that it was noticing a lump during a breast self exam that led her to diagnosis in 2001. She had done the self exams frequently enough that she knew what she felt was something that had not been there before.
Early detection and treatment offers those with breast cancer the best chance for survival. Some of the ways that breast cancer most often manifests itself include: a lump in the breast, abnormal thickening of the breast; or a change in the shape or color of the breast. It may also cause dimpling or puckering of the skin; swelling, redness or warmth that does not go away; pain in one spot that does not vary with your monthly cycle; pulling in of the nipple; nipple discharge that starts suddenly only in one breast; and an itchy, sore or scaling area on one nipple. While these symptoms do not automatically indicate breast cancer, they should be brought to the immediate attention of a doctor.
Sheryl Taylor, Volunteer Associate Member, leads her group of volunteers during a walk to homes in the Church Hill Community. They knocked on doors and spread a message about the importance of breast cancer awareness and early detection.
Mammography is able to detect cancer even before these symptoms occur – sometimes several years in advance. The American Cancer Society advises that women aged 40 and over have a mammogram annually. Women in their 20s and 30s should have regular clinical breast examinations, at least once every three years – more often if your physician determines that you have certain risk factors. After age 40, women should have a clinical breast examination performed annually. Women, aged 20 and over, should also be informed about breast self-examination as an option to help identify any changes that might indicate breast cancer.
If getting a mammogram is a financial burden, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide low- or no- cost mammograms for underinsured and uninsured women between the ages of 40 and 64. To access the program locally, contact the Virginia Department of Health at 1-866-395-4968.
While there is no way to prevent breast cancer, there are ways to reduce one’s susceptibility to the disease. These include maintaining a stable, healthy weight; exercising regularly and minimizing alcohol intake. Additionally, women seeking to manage menopausal symptoms should consider the increased risk of breast cancer associated with menopausal hormone therapy before selecting a treatment option.
When a doctor told Nichole Allen that she had breast cancer, her immediate thought was “I’m going to die.” Ten years later after battling a second bout of breast cancer in 2005, she says, “I’m stronger than I have ever been and much of that strength is owed to overcoming breast cancer.” By taking advantage of early detection and treatment options, I believe more of us will find that we have the strength to overcome this disease.
Breast cancer info in this article is from Sisters Network Inc. (http://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/index.html), the American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/index), and the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (http://nbcam.org/index.cfm).
