State Rep. Howard: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign to increase breast cancer awareness and education, while also promoting research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

I am proud to help spread the word about the importance of this cause, which is meaningful to so many families in our community. Please get regular medical checkups and mammograms and contact your medical professional if you have questions or concerns.

Key Statistics About Breast Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers. About 1 in 8 (12%) women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime.

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2021 are:

• About 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women
• About 49,290 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) will be diagnosed
• About 43,600 women will die from breast cancer

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. The chance that breast cancer will be responsible for a woman’s death is about 1 in 39 (about 2.6%). Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1989, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. These decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well as improved treatment.

At this time there are more than 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. (This includes women still being treated and those who have completed treatment.)