Breast cancer is currently the most common cancer in non-smoking women. (While smoking increases the risk of breast cancer, lung cancer is more common in smokers.) It is estimated that over a lifetime, one in eight American women will develop breast cancer. Currently, mammograms are the best way to screen most women for early detection of breast cancer.
Mammograms are recommended yearly starting at age 40 for most women. Mammograms become more reliable as a woman ages and her breasts become less dense. Breast self-exams should begin when you’re in your twenties and performed monthly after that. The self-exam acts as a “safety net” to catch a mass that might not show up on a mammogram.
A healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, has been shown to reduce risk. Regular breast exams and mammograms by your health care provider, along with your regular self-breast exam, can also increase early detection.
