Pink with Purpose: Breast Cancer Prevention and Early Detection

by Blair Stewig

October 2024

October in North Dakota. The air is colder, leaves are changing, and everyone is donning pink for breast cancer awareness. According to the North Dakota Cancer Coalition, breast cancer is the number one cancer diagnosis and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in North Dakota women. This condition seems to impact everyone in some way. That impact can be reduced by prevention and early detection efforts.

Breast cancer prevention starts with considering factors that could increase a woman's risk. Some factors are inside a woman's control and others are not. Science has shown that regular exercise like taking daily walks, decreasing alcohol intake, permanently putting down cigarettes, and healthy eating can reduce a woman's risk. Other factors outside a woman's control are being older than 50 or having a family history such as a mother, sister, aunt, or grandmother who has had breast cancer. Recently, increased breast tissue density has also been found to increase a woman's chance of breast cancer, as dense breast tissue can make it harder for X-ray equipment to detect breast cancer early.

Doctors are also aware that earlier detection can lead to earlier treatment, and earlier treatment can benefit the one of every eight women in North Dakota who will develop breast cancer at some point in their life. Mammograms are one of the most used tools for early breast cancer detection. But what are they, and what does getting one entail? Mammography is an X-ray of the breast that takes only about 15 minutes to complete. After the procedure, which involves placing the breast on a flat plate and compressing it, the X-ray image is interpreted by a radiologist. Sometimes a woman is notified that an area on the mammogram is abnormal. However, abnormalities do not automatically mean cancer. With recent advances in technology, more breast tissue spots can be seen, many of which are proven on follow-up testing to be noncancerous. However, this same technology has become much better at finding breast cancer early.

How often should mammograms be done? With more and more science results coming in, recommendations change. However, currently the American Cancer Society recommends that women age 40-44 have the option of a yearly mammogram, and annual mammograms when 45-54. After 55, women may have a mammogram yearly or every other year based on their risk and preference. Testing before age 40 depends on family history or other factors that increase the chances of developing breast cancer. Any woman wondering about their risk factors and earlier testing should talk to their provider.

A final word is about "breast self-awareness." Health care providers encourage women to be familiar with their breasts' lumps and bumps and bring any changes to the attention of their healthcare provider.

In October, another type of awareness occurs and is demonstrated by those wearing pink with purpose: an awareness of breast cancer itself. Breast cancer has touched many lives in North Dakota. For women of all ages, consider changing lifestyle factors to decrease the chance of developing cancer and speak with a provider about early detection.

About the Author

Blair Stewig is a third-year medical student at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She was selected as the Grafton participant for the school's ROME program, or Rural Opportunities in Medical Education. The program focuses on teaching student doctors the importance of using rural newspapers to share health information. As a future rural healthcare leader, Stewig has written this column to provide health information for her ROME community. The information is not for diagnosis or treatment and should not be used in place of previous medical advice provided by a licensed provider.