October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This article first appeared in the Parys Gazette on 1 October 2020

According to the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), breast cancer affects 1 in 25 women in the country. It is the second most common cancer after non-melanoma skin cancer and accounts for 0.7% of recorded deaths (approximately 4 million women) every year. Estimations are that about 19.4 million women over the age of 15 live at-risk of a cancer diagnosis.

Awareness of the signs and symptoms can lead to early discovery and therefore improved treatment results.

What are the risk factors for breast cancer?

Although breast cancer usually affects older women, women of all ages are at risk, especially if there is a family history of breast cancer. Other risk factors are being overweight, inactive, alcohol consumption, bad eating habits, and smoking.

Early detection is key

Apart from monthly self-examinations, it is essential to go for a routine mammogram once a year. Your medical aid or hospital plan will pay for breast cancer screening. Most of them pay for a mammogram every second year. Organisations like The Pink Drive (www.pinkdrive.co.za) also has mobile breast clinics that travel the country and offers free clinical breast checks, and mammograms at a reduced fee. Several public healthcare facilities also offer mammograms. You can get your mammogram at one of the following public hospitals: Universitas in Bloemfontein, or Charlotte Maxeke and Helen Joseph in Johannesburg.