Breast Cancer Awareness Month This October
The Breast Cancer Awareness Month, practiced every October, is an attempt to spread awareness about this most prevalent disease among women. According to statistic, soon one in every 14 female children will have the possibility to develop, Breast Cancer. In most cases, due to lack of awareness, Breast Cancer is diagnosed only at a much later stage.
The Breast Cancer Awareness Month, was founded by AstraZeneca in the year 1985. They manufactured drugs like Arimidex and Tamoxifen. Their aim of starting the Breast Cancer Awareness Month was to promote mammography as the most effective treatment.
In the year 1993, Evelyn Lauder, founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and also introduced the symbol of the Pink Ribbon. The Pink Ribbon, there on went on to become the official symbol.
Research has been going on since all these years. Experts have said that the ailment is the result of certain changes in DNA which can change normal breast cells into being cancerous. There are genes which can prevent the formation of Breast Cancer. Any changes in these gene’s, allow the cancerous cells to form, thus leading to the ailment. The answer to what brings on these changes has not been found yet.
Some risk factors have been listed Here-
1.Age – The risk increases with age. It has been noticed that 16% of the women develop breast related problems between the age of 40-60.
2.Hereditary – Family history of the ailment, increases the risk in women to get infected with it. Recently, a gene (BR CA1) has been identified. According to researchers, the presence of this gene increases the chance of breast and ovarian cancer in women.
3.Hormonal Changes – A women goes through major hormonal changes, at the start of the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. It has been reported that women who start their menstrual cycle after the age of 12, who have menopause after the age of 55 and women with late pregnancy, are at a higher risk.
4.Breast Feeding – Women avoiding breast feeding, are are a higher risk. This statement is being researched on but researchers have still not reached a conclusion.
Factors Like smoking, alcohol consumption etc are risk factors to cancer as a whole. But these factors has not been proved yet. Though doctors always advice to ignore the usage to cigarette and alcohol.
