October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 24, 2006
Contact: Katie Laning (202)224-4843

In 2006, nearly 213,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. An estimated 41,000 women will die from the disease. A great many of these deaths could be averted by early detection and treatment.

Each October, we recognize "National Breast Cancer Awareness Month" as a way to educate the public about breast cancer and its risks. I urge women throughout Arkansas to take this opportunity to learn more about breast cancer and to visit with their physicians about the need for screening.

Research suggests that periodic screening mammography reduces breast cancer mortality by 63 percent. While women of all ages are at risk of breast cancer, the disease more commonly strikes women over age 50. Moreover, the risk increases with age: A 70-year-old woman is twice as likely to develop breast cancer as a 50-year-old woman. Given the risk, women over age 40 should make a special effort to get a routine periodic mammogram as a defense against breast cancer.

Most private health insurance plans will cover a screening mammogram. If you lack private coverage and are not eligible for coverage under Medicare or Medicaid, contact the American Cancer Society toll-free at 1-800-227-2345 for information about low-cost mammography programs in your area.

All women should have regular mammogram screenings to catch breast cancer at its earliest stages, when it’s most treatable. If your mother, sister, or daughter hasn’t had a recent screening, encourage her to do so this month. You may just save a life.