Do You Know These Facts About Breast Cancer?

FACT: 1-in-8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.†

FACT: The chance of getting breast cancer increases with age and every woman is at risk.††

FACT: In 2006 alone, more than 211,000 women in the United States will learn that they have breast cancer.†

FACT: This year, over 1,600 men will be diagnosed with it too. †

Fortunately – thanks to early detection, education, and better treatments – breast cancer deaths are on the decline. The good news is, much is being done to find a cure!

Since 1992, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation(BCRF) has been dedicated to provide the funding needed to wipe out this killer. They’ve raised over $125 million in the hopes of finding a cure.

FACT: 30 years ago a woman diagnosed with breast cancer would likely have heard her doctor say, “I’m sorry… you need a mastectomy.” Modern-day advances mean that surgery may not always be necessary.†††

FACT: In October 2005, the Foundation awarded over $22 million in new grants to more than 110 researchers across the United States and in Canada, Europe, Latin America, and Israel. World-wide research has resulted in some remarkable breakthroughs. For example, cancer drugs now target breast tumors directly and with fewer complications. Plus, a recent study funded by the BCRF found that adopting a low-fat diet leads to a higher overall survivor rate for breast cancer patients.

Want to know more? Check out BCRF’s website: bcrfcure.org. You’ll learn how your genetics plays a role in the disease… how to interpret a mammogram… and how to talk to your doctor about early-stage breast cancer.

Take heart: survival rates have improved greatly! In fact, for every year that a woman survives cancer, her risk of a recurrence drops.** What’s more, researchers found that breast cancer patients who engaged in physical activity for at least one hour a week had an overall higher survival rate. That’s good news, indeed.

† National Breast Cancer Foundation
†† National Cancer Institute
††† American Cancer Society
** California Breast Cancer Research Program