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AUGUSTA’S MOST SALUBRIOUS NEWSPAPER • FOUNDED IN 2006
OCTOBER 19, 2012
THINK PINK
Your Breast Cancer Questions Answered by Dr. Samir N. Khleif Director, Georgia Health Sciences University Cancer Center
T
hey’re the questions that come into our minds after midnight, when we’re trying to go to sleep. The ones that cause us to wonder—and worry. The ones that we’re afraid our doctors will think are silly. But if we, or someone we love, are at risk for breast cancer, there are no silly questions. About 120 out of every 100,000 women in Georgia and South Carolina will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making breast cancer the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the two states, and second only to lung cancer in deaths. October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is not only a time to celebrate breast cancer survival, but to learn about your own risk and get the facts about breast cancer. Here are a few frequently asked questions:
If I fi nd a lump in my breast, do I have cancer? Most breast lumps are not cancerous. But any lumps or other changes in the breast should be reported to your physician. A breast exam and tests such as mammograms can determine whether the lump is something to worry about.
Can mammograms give me breast cancer, or cause cancer to spread? This is a very common myth. Mammograms use very small amounts of radiation, and risk of harm from exposure is very low. For years, mammograms have been used safely as the gold standard in screening for breast cancer. The National Cancer Institute recommends mammograms for women age 40 and older every one to two years. Talk to your physician if you have a family history of the disease or other risk factors, which might indicate an earlier start or increased frequency. What is my risk for breast cancer? The National Cancer Institute, as well as the GHSU Cancer Center and others, uses a tool that looks at age, medical history, family history of breast cancer and race/ ethnicity to help determine a general personal risk of breast Please see QUESTIONS page 9
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