Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2016
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK so chances are you know someone who has been affected by it. Breast cancer starts when cells in the breast tissue begin to divide, mutate and multiply in abnormal ways. There are a combination of factors which affect your chances of getting cancer and often these are completely out of our control.
How many people are affected by breast cancer?
Around 60,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year and the lifetime risk for a woman getting cancer is 1 in 8. Whilst the risks of breast cancer for men are significantly lower, it still can happen. Around 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50 but this is not to say it cannot happen to someone younger.
What are the chances of survival?
Today, thanks to earlier detection, an increased knowledge and understanding of breast cancer as well as better treatments mean that survival rates after diagnosis are improving.
More than 8 in 10 women survive breast cancer beyond five years! And around 78% of women survive beyond 10 years. It’s though that around 691,000 people are alive in the UK who have had a diagnosis of breast cancer.
How can I show my support?
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so it may be that there are local events taking place near you, check out the official website here.
There are many charities you can support which work to fight against breast cancer, here are some listed below.