October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month since 1985 so here’s a few facts about it:
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide
- It will concern 1 woman on 8 at least once in their life
- It is the second cause of death for women in the world
- Having a mammogram regularly(every year or two according to your risk factors) may reduce its mortality by at least 30%
- Top risk factors are excess in female hormones, age and gene mutations
- Having a breast cancer gives you 4 times more chance of having a second one
- Breast feeding may reduce its risk by 4-5%
- Regular exercise also reduces its risk
- Overweight women are at twice the risk of lean women
- Only 42% of women going through a mastectomy will have reconstructive surgery after
- Breast reconstruction is a multi stage procedure and often needs multiple operations
- Timing of reconstruction has an impact on patients’options and results.
- 1% of breast cancers concern men