October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Approximately one in eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime.

“Prevention and early detection are key to optimizing breast health,” stated Kelli Downey, Breast Health Navigator at Knox Community Hospital. 

It is recommended that women begin having yearly mammograms at age 40, earlier if they are at high risk. 

Your health care provider is the best person to provide advice about when to start having annual mammograms because there can be differences based on a number of factors. 

Downey said that “factors such as a family history of breast cancer could affect the age that would be recommended to begin annual mammograms.”

About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that result from the aging process and life in general rather than inherited mutations. 

According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is detected early and is in the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%. Early detection can include monthly breast self-exams, regularly scheduled mammograms, and clinical exams with your physician.

Women who undergo mammography screenings have a 25% reduction in advanced-stage breast cancers compared to women who receive no screening. "If you feel something or notice something that just does not seem right, talk to your health care provider," says Downey. 

To find or contact a primary care provider at KCH, go to https://www.kch.org/department-primary-care-providers.  Ask about whether you should schedule a screening mammogram. 

On October 12 at 6 pm, KCH Center for Cancer Care is hosting a Breast Health Awareness event featuring educational speakers and light refreshments, at the Glenn A. Gallagher Centre.  

Call 740-393-9621 to RSVP, or go to https://www.kch.org/articles/free-breast-cancer-awareness-education-event.  Free and open to the community.