This document provides information about breast cancer awareness. It notes that breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women and discusses statistics on how many women are diagnosed and die from breast cancer each year both in the US and globally. While death rates have declined since the 1990s due to better screening, treatment, and awareness, more funding needs to go towards prevention efforts. The document emphasizes the importance of breast self-exams and provides instructions for how to properly perform them.

1. Breast CancerBreast Cancer
AwarenessAwareness
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PresentationPresentation

2. First Facts
• Breast cancer is a disease in which
malignant (cancer) cells form in the
tissues of the breast.
• Breast cancer is the second leading
cause of death among women.

3. Who is Affected?
• One in eight women will
be diagnosed with breast cancer in
their lifetime.
• Although breast cancer in men is
rare, an estimated 2,150 men will be
diagnosed with breast cancer and
approximately 410 will die each year.

4. Breast Cancer in the U.S.
• Breast cancer is the most commonly
diagnosed cancer in women
• Each year it is estimated that over
220,000 women in the United States
will be diagnosed with breast cancer
and more than 40,000 will die.

5. Global Outlook
• breast cancer is the most common
cancer among women worldwide
• hundreds of thousands of women
each year are affected in countries at
all levels of modernization.

6. Good News about Breast
Cancer
• Death rates from breast cancer have
been declining since about 1990, in
part to better due to screening
and early detection, increased
awareness, and continually
improving treatment options.

7. Should We Try Harder?
• Majority of the funding goes to
science aimed at treating the
disease.
• Five percent goes to prevention
efforts.

8. Try Harder Cont’d
• Mortality rates plummeted in the 1990s,
when mammograms first became widely
used, they’ve declined less than 3 percent
a year since then.
• Researchers get funding and tenure by
publishing papers, not looking for a cure.

9. Always Stay Aware
• Even with the lowered rates of breast
cancer, always stay aware of your
body.
• A breast self exam is a check-up a
woman does at home.

10. Breast Self Exam Cont’d
• The best time to do a self breast exam
is about 3 - 5 days after your period starts
• Your breasts are not as tender or lumpy at
this time in your monthly cycle.
• If you have gone through menopause, do
your exam on the same day every month.

11. How to Do Self Checks
• Place your right hand behind your head. With the
middle fingers of your left hand, gently yet firmly
press down using small motions to examine the
entire right breast.
• Next, sit or stand. Feel your armpit, because
breast tissue goes into that area.
• Gently squeeze the nipple, checking for
discharge. Repeat the process on the left breast.
• Use one of the patterns shown in the diagram to
make sure that you are covering all of the breast
tissue.

12. How-to Cont’d
• Look at your breasts directly and in the
mirror. Look for changes in skin texture,
such as dimpling, puckering, indentations,
or skin that looks like an orange peel.
• Also note the shape and outline of each
breast.
• Check to see if the nipple turns inward.

13. Example

14. Prevention
• Self checks are the best way to
avoid tragic results
• Educate yourself
• Learn more about your body

15. References
• http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-ca
• Medline Plus
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/articl
2013