Hospital highlights - Oct. 1, 2009

Breast cancer awareness

The month of October is National Breast Awareness Month. As you may know, breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the United States.

While the majority of new breast cancers are diagnosed as a result of an abnormality seen on a mammogram, a lump or change in consistency of the breast tissue can also be a warning sign of the disease. Heightened awareness of breast cancer risk in the past decades has led to an increase in the number of women undergoing mammography for screening, leading to detection of cancers in earlier stages and a result in improvement in survival rates within the communities we serve.

Still, breast cancer is the most common cause of death in women between the ages of 45 and 55. Although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about one percent of all cancer deaths in men.

With the advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the death rate for breast cancer has declined by about 20 percent over the past decade, and research is ongoing to develop even more effective screenings and treatment programs.

Be sure to keep up your screening schedule for early detection and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Jon Davis, administrator

Whitman Hospital & Medical Center