1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer will claim more than 40,000 American lives in the year 2015. It is Myriad's mission to inform the world that we can save lives by becoming educated and proactive about breast cancer. For every day of October, Myriad presents a new fact or way to become involved in supporting the cause against breast cancer.

1. BREAST CANCER
AWARENESS

2. MYRIAD GENETICS PRESENTS
CLICK ON A DAY TO VIEW A FACT
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
OCTOBER DAILY AWARENESS
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1

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OCTOBER 1
1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.1
1 in 8

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OCTOBER 2
Breast cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women.
The American Cancer Society estimates 40,290 women will die from breast cancer
in the U.S. in 2015.2
40,290 cancer-related deaths

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OCTOBER 3
Know what breast cancer can look and feel like.2,3
Symptoms of breast cancer can include lumps or thickening of skin in the breast or
underarm areas; changes in the shape of the breast; dimpling; puckering; scaly, red
or swollen skin on any area of the breast; an inverted (turned inward) nipple; or
leakage of fluid (especially blood) from the nipple.
A mass or
lump, which
may feel as
small as a pea.
A change in the
size, shape, or
contour of the
breast.
A blood-stained
or clear fluid
discharge from
the nipple.
A change in
shape or
position of the
nipple.

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OCTOBER 4
Five to 10% of breast cancers are due to a hereditary (inherited) cause.2
The most
comon hereditary causes of breast cancer are mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2
genes. Hear about one patient’s journey with hereditary breast cancer.

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OCTOBER 5
Are you at risk for hereditary breast cancer?
Know the red flags associated with Hereditary Cancer.

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OCTOBER 6
Breast cancer does not only affect women.
It is estimated that 2,350 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. in
2015.4
Although breast cancer in
men is rare, an estimated
2,350 men will be diagnosed
with breast cancer

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OCTOBER 7
Check your breasts for lumps. 8 out of 10 lumps are discovered by women
themselves.5
Be aware of how your breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to a
health professional.
A mass or lump, which may
feel as small as a pea.

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OCTOBER 8
BRCA positive women who have had breast cancer ALSO have up to a 12.7% risk
for ovarian cancer to develop within 10 years of their breast cancer diagnosis.
Knowing this allows BRCA+ women to TAKE ACTION to help reduce the likelihood
of ovarian cancer, following breast cancer diagnosis.6

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OCTOBER 9
Women of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage are at higher risk of having BRCA mutation.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends testing for BRCA mutations
for Ashkenazi Jewish women if they have a first-degree relative with breast or
ovarian cancer or two second-degree relatives on the same side of the family with
breast or ovarian cancer.7

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OCTOBER 10
In addition to BRCA1 and BRCA2, other genes can increase the risk for breast
cancer. Learn more about these genes here.
BREAST
BRCA1/2
PALB2
CHEK2
NBNBPIP1
TPS3
BARD1
STK11 PTEN
ATM
CDH1

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OCTOBER 11
Risk factors for breast cancer include: A mutation in a hereditary breast cancer
gene, personal or family history of breast cancer, obesity, exposure to estrogen and
progesterone (combined hormone therapy) after menopause, excessive alcohol
use, among others.8

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OCTOBER 12
Women with the BRCA1 genetic mutation can have up to an 87% risk of developing
breast cancer by age 70 (compared to the average woman’s risk of 12.3% to age
80).9
87%
risk of
developing
breast cancer
by 70

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OCTOBER 13
Medical guidelines recommend those at general-population risk for breast cancer
have regular screening. Beginning in their 20s, these include: clinical breast exams
every 1-3 years, and self-awareness of breast changes. Beginning at ages 40-50
these include: annual clinical breast exams, annual mammograms, self-awareness of
breast changes.10
For those at increased risk (e.g., >20% lifetime risk of breast cancer), the following
screening changes may be warranted: clinical breast exams every 6-12 months,
annual mammograms and MRIs beginning 10 years prior to the youngest age of
diagnosis in the family but not less than age 30, breast awareness, and
consideration of other risk reduction strategies.10
Individuals with greater breast cancer risk may require a more intensive medical
management plan after consultation with your health care professional.

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OCTOBER 14
Women at increased risk for breast cancer have risk-reducing options – such as
risk-reducing medications (like tamoxifen and raloxifene) and risk-reducing
surgeries (for example double mastectomy with reconstruction). These options
should be discussed with a medical professional and considered based on a number
of factors including personal history, family history and/or the identification of a
gene mutation.11

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OCTOBER 15
A family history of breast cancer is also important for men to know.
Not only could a hereditary breast cancer syndrome impact their female relatives,
but men with certain genetic mutations are also at increased risk for cancers of the
prostate, pancreas and melanoma. Hear John’s journey after being diagnosed with
Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome.

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OCTOBER 16
TODAY IS NATIONAL MAMMOGRAM DAY!

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OCTOBER 17
Mammography has helped reduce breast cancer in the U.S. by ~ 1/3 since 1990.12
reducing breast
cancer by 1/3
since 1990

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OCTOBER 18
If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you’re up to four times more likely to
develop a new cancer in the same breast or in the other breast.13

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OCTOBER 19
A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree
relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.14

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OCTOBER 20
Knowing your personal and family cancer history can help your doctor prevent
breast cancer or detect it at an earlier stage. Hear about how knowing her cancer
family history helped Marissa prevent cancer.

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OCTOBER 21
Chemotherapy can be given before or after surgery for breast cancer. Most of the
time it is given after surgery, which is called adjuvant chemotherapy. However,
sometimes it is given before surgery and is known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.15

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OCTOBER 22
There are many advocacy organizations that provide a community of support for
women at all different stages of a breast cancer diagnosis or those who are finished
with treatment and living their “new normal.” Click here for a list of resource that
will empower patients and their families with information.

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OCTOBER 23
Targeted therapy is a novel way to treat breast cancer and is different than
standard chemotherapy. These types of treatment target specific genetic changes
in the cancer cells and generally cause different (and frequently less severe) side
effects.16

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OCTOBER 24
The first targeted therapy developed for breast cancer was Herceptin. It was
approved for use in breast cancer by the FDA in 1998. Herceptin targets
overexpression of the Her2 gene.17
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends that all breast
tumors be tested for Her2 status as part of the standard clinical workup.18

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OCTOBER 25
In some cases, a double mastectomy can lower the chance of developing breast
cancer to less than 10%.19
Read about Angelina Jolie-Pitt’s choice to have a risk-reducing double
mastectomy after learning that she was positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation.

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OCTOBER 26
Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for about 15-20% of all breast
cancers.20, 21
Some breast cancers test negative for two hormone (estrogen and
progesterone) receptors and HER2 (a growth-promoting protein). These breast
cancers are called triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).22
Testing negative for these three markers means commonly used hormone therapy
and targeted drugs are typically not successful in treating these cancers.
Chemotherapy may still be helpful. Women diagnosed with triple negative breast
cancer before age 60 should be evaluated further for genetic risk.23

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OCTOBER 27
Patients with Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) and a BRCA mutation may
frequently benefit from the addition of a platinum-based chemotherapy drug.24

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OCTOBER 28
Take the quiz to learn about your risk for hereditary breast cancer.

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OCTOBER 29
Companion diagnostic tests help physicians identify which patients are most
likely to benefit from a particular drug.
In cancer, these tests can help physicians chose the best chemotherapy treatment
for your individual tumor.25

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OCTOBER 30
If you have breast cancer and are BRCA positive, you may be eligible for a clinical
trial investigating targeted therapy with a new class of drugs called PARP
inhibitors. Discuss this option with your health care provider.

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View full interactive calendar here.
OCTOBER 31
Knowledge is power – talk to your doctor today about your personal or family
history of breast cancer. Find a health care professional here.