TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Department of Health (DOH) recognizes October as breast cancer awareness month and reminds women to take charge of their own breast health by understanding their personal risk of the disease and by reporting any breast change promptly to their health care professional. All women, beginning in their twenties, should have a clinical breast exam as part of their regular exam. It is important for women age 40 and older to have a mammogram and clinical breast exam every one to two years, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

“Mammography can usually detect breast cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage long before a lump can be felt,” said Susan Fleming, B.S.N., M.P.A., Program Administrator of the DOH Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. “Survival rates for breast cancer have improved greatly, but early detection is the best defense. Screening saves lives.”

Women considered to be in a high-risk category should talk to their health care provider about how often they should get a mammogram and clinical breast exam. Factors such as advancing age and a rare gene alteration in some family groups result in higher risk. According to the National Cancer Institute, other risks include personal history of breast cancer, certain breast changes, the use of hormones, late childbearing, or not having children. Some studies have shown a connection between increased alcohol consumption and increased breast cancer risk. Being overweight after menopause has been discussed in studies as increasing risk and also complicating detection.

Symptoms that may indicate breast cancer include:

• Lump or thickening in or near the breast or underarm area
• Change in the size or shape of the breast
• Nipple discharge (other than milk)
• Nipple turning inward
• Change in the color or feel of the skin on or near the breast or underarm area

The Florida Cancer Data System reports that from 1981 (first year of data collection) to 2005, non-Hispanic white women have had a higher age-adjusted incidence of breast cancer. However, incidence rates have declined for both non-Hispanic black women and non-Hispanic white women since peaking in 1995 and 1998, respectively. Within this time period, the age-adjusted mortality rates of breast cancer have declined more among non-Hispanic white women (31 percent) than among non-Hispanic black women (4 percent).

DOH promotes, protects and improves the health of all people in Florida. The DOH Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides assistance to women ages 50-64 throughout Florida, who are uninsured and at or below the poverty level. Services are provided for women across the state who meet these criteria through 16 regional sites. To locate the nearest site, call the American Cancer Society National Hotline number at 1-800-227-2345. For more information about the DOH Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, visit www.doh.state.fl.us/family/bcc/. For more information on breast cancer, visit the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov/, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site at www.cdc.gov/ the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org, or the Florida Cancer Data System at http://fcds.med.miami.edu/.