Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2018
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and The G Spa wants to remind you of the importance of early detection and screening.
Did you know that breast cancer is the second most common cancer, globally? It’s also become the leading cause of death in women worldwide. Breast Cancer Awareness Month aims to raise awareness about the disease as well as raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure.
Making healthy choices such as eating right and staying active can reduce your risk of cancer. Some cancers can be found early before they grow and spread, so it’s equally important to learn about early detection and treatments. The American Cancer Society outlines the following screening guidelines for breast cancer:
• All women should know how their breasts look normally and report any changes to their breasts to their health care provider immediately.
• Women ages 40 to 44 should have the option to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms (x-rays of the breast).
• Women ages 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year.
• Women 55 and older can switch to mammograms every two years (or continue with yearly screening).
• Screening should continue as long you are in good health and expected to live ten or more years.
Some women are at a higher than average risk for breast cancer, due to family history, genetic tendencies, or other factors, and should be screened with MRIs as well as mammograms. Be sure to talk to your health care provider about your risk for breast cancer and what the best screening plan is for you.
Never had a mammogram? Why not make an appointment during Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Mammogram exams are painless and only take about ten minutes.
The G Spa is proud to support breast cancer survivors. We provide free services to remove radiation scars caused by radiation treatments. If you or a woman you know has survived breast cancer and wants to remove the radiation scar, please contact our office at (805) 682-4772. We’d love to help.
For more information and ways to help, visit the American Cancer Society.
