Dear Doc,

I am a breast cancer survivor. A screening mammogram picked up my cancer and saved my life! Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, would you write a column reminding woman to get yearly mammograms?
Doc,

October is quite a month. Coming from the Latin word “octo” meaning eight, October was originally the eighth month of the Roman calendar. As January and February were added and the world transitioned to the Georgian calendar, October became the tenth month! October’s birthstones are opal and pink tourmaline. Libra and Scorpio are the zodiac signs that fall in October.

In was in October when Columbus landed in America (1492), Nevada became the 36th state (1864), free rural mail delivery started in the US (1896) and the first presidential telecast was made (1947, Harry Truman). October is National Chili Month, Pizza Month, Cookie Month, and Dessert Month. October is the month of awareness for Lupus, Spina Bifida, Blindess and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

I am a fan of October’s fall leaves, World Series, and Halloween. In recent years however, October has become synonymous with the color pink representing Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Pink ribbons, NFL pink penalty flags, and pink grocery store bags are signs of how Breast Cancer Awareness Month is embraced. The pink campaign began in 1992 with Evelyn Lauder, the daughter-in-law of the late Estee Lauder and Self magazine’s Alexander Penney. They launched a pink ribbon campaign to remind women who stopped at cosmetic counters, to schedule yearly screenings.

There’s good reason to do so; 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer within their lifetime. Breast cancer the most commonly diagnosed cancer in woman and is the second leading cause of death in woman. Each year, 220,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. Although breast cancer is rare in men, an estimated 2,150 men will be diagnosed each year with 410 dying.

The good news, partly due to the decline of hormone replacement therapy after menopause, there has been a reduction in female breast cancer rates in women aged 50 and older. Also, death rates from breast cancer have been declining since 1990, in large part due to early detection, increased awareness, and improving treatments. The risk of dying from a breast cancer diagnosis is 1 in 28; significantly better odds then from previous decades.

Self-exams are a key part of early detection. If something feels abnormal, call your doctor and further testing will be ordered. Mammograms are the other crucial tool in making an early diagnosis. The recommendations for when to obtain a screening mammogram can be confusing.

They can be as confusing as those food warning labels. The “sell by” date on my milk is not very helpful. Although I am of Indian decent, I do not own a Mini-Mart and will not be reselling my gallon of milk! The “best by” label on food is not so helpful, either. I love my kids and I do spoil them, but they do not need to consume Oreos or Pringles at their “best”, they can have them as long as they are edible! A more helpful food warning would be, “If you consume this product after this date you will get deathly ill!”

Some professional organizations recommend screening mammograms to start in your 50s. Most, however, still recommend screening mammograms to start in your 40s. If you have risk factors for breast cancer like the BRCA gene, a strong family history, or previous radiation to your chest, your doctor may recommend screening even sooner than age 40.
I am happy to write a column encouraging breast cancer screening! Enjoy October and remember the quote by Benjamin Franklin, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

One more plug: The Cancer Services Program of Wayne County can provide you with FREE screening and mammography if you don’t have insurance or if your insurance is inadequate. Call (315) 332-2255 for information and an appointment.

Dr. Nagpaul is a medical doctor and is board-certified in Internal Medicine. He currently is the Medical Director at Newark-Wayne Community Hospital, DeMay Living Center and Wayne County Public Health. This column is meant to be educational and not intended to be used to make individual treatment decisions. Prior to starting or stopping any treatment, please confer with your own health care provider. To send questions, please email Dr. Nagpaul at Arun.Nagpaul@rochesterregional.org and put “Ask a Doc” in the subject line.