October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and though you're probably familiar with efforts to find a cure, you may not realize just how prevalent the disease is. Ultimately, hundreds of thousands of people are affected every year, and that only scratches the surface. Staying on top of statistics about breast cancer and strides in research is crucial if you want to be part of the push for a cure this month and throughout the rest of the year.
The American Cancer Society predicts that over 42,000 women in the United States will die of breast cancer this year. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) point out, men can also get breast cancer, albeit at a much lower rate, and this goes for cis and trans people alike. If you want to take action this month, you have a lot of options, from supporting survivors and donating to research organizations, to educating yourself. And when it comes down to it, learning about risk factors, preventative measures, and how to practice breast self-awareness is always a good idea too, regardless of your personal risk.
In addition to staying informed, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also an opportunity to help breast cancer survivors and support the search for a cure. If you want to get more actively involved, the National Breast Cancer Foundation has some recommendations, and it's a great place to start. And lastly, you can take a look at breast cancer research organizations if you'd like to donate.
Studies cited:
DeSantis, C. E., Ma, J., Gaudet, M. M., Newman, L. A., Miller, K. D., Goding Sauer, A., Jemal, A., & Siegel, R. L. (2019). Breast cancer statistics, 2019. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians, 69(6), 438–451. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21583
Heer, E., Harper, A., Escandor, N., Sung, H., McCormack, V., & Fidler-Benaoudia, M. M. (2020). Global burden and trends in premenopausal and postmenopausal breast cancer: a population-based study. The Lancet. Global health, 8(8), e1027–e1037. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30215-1