How much do you know about breast cancer?
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How much do you know about breast cancer?
Being knowledgeable about a disease is one of the best ways of taking steps to prevent it. This is certainly true when it comes to breast cancer. The more facts a woman knows about it, the more likely she will be more aware taking the precautionary and recommended steps to lower her risk of developing it.
Here is a quiz all women – and men - should take to test their knowledge about breast cancer – the most common cancer diagnosed in women.
1. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the United States – True or False?
Answer –False. According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common of all cancers with over 5 million cases diagnosed every year. For 2018, an estimated 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer, 63,410 new cases of breast carcinoma in situ, and 40,610 breast cancer deaths.
2. You can get breast cancer even if it doesn’t run in your family – True or False?
Answer – True. Most women diagnosed with breast cancer – more than 85% have no family history of the disease. Having a relative with breast cancer does increase your risk. But other factors such as age, being overweight, alcohol use, and hormone therapy after menopause can also increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
3. If breast cancer runs in your family, you are certain to get it – True or False?
Answer – False. Having breast cancer in your family does not guarantee you will get it. Many times, cancer runs in families because they have similar lifestyle habits – habits you can control or change.
4. After menopause, you still need to get mammograms – True or False?
Answer – True. Getting older is not a reason to skip regular breast health checks. In fact, your risk of developing breast cancer goes up as you get older. About 2 out of 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 and older. As long as you are in good health and would be a candidate for treatment, you should continue getting mammograms.
5. Men can get breast cancer – True or False?
Answer – True. More than 2,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Men should not ignore breast lumps and should get any breast changes checked. Still, breast cancer is 100 times more common in women than men, with more than 250,000 women diagnosed each year.
6. In the 14th century, breast cancer was known as the disease of: Nuns, widows, or
elderly women?
Answer – Nuns. During that time, the condition was so common among nuns, who do not have children, that it became known as nuns’ disease. Women who have many children and get pregnant at a younger age have a lower risk. That may be because pregnancy reduces a woman’s total number of periods. Scientists think having more period-related hormones may raise the risk of getting breast cancer.
7. What’s the main risk factor for breast cancer? Age, being a woman or hormone
therapy?
Answer – Being a woman. One in 8 women in the U.S. will get a diagnosis of breast cancer in her lifetime. However, age is another factor as 2 out of 3 women with invasive breast cancer are 55 or older.
8. Which is the best way to find breast cancer early? Breast self-exam, MRI, or
Mammogram
Answer – Mammogram. Regular mammograms lower your chances of dying from the disease. The test is an X-ray of the breast and can find cancer before you can feel it or have symptoms. The American Cancer Society says most women should get one every year after age 40.
9. On the morning of your mammogram, you shouldn’t do what? Eat, Use deodorant, or
Bathe
Answer – Use Deodorant. Some deodorants or antiperspirants have ingredients like aluminum that can show up on the X-ray image as white spots. This makes it hard for the radiologist to read the image which could lead to an incorrect diagnosis. Women should also not use any lotions or powders under their arms or on their breasts the day of their mammogram.
10. Most breast lumps are not cancer - True or False?
Answer – True. A woman who finds a lump on her breast does not need to panic. Many women have lumps caused by fluid-filled sacs called cysts or by a buildup of scar-like tissue. A new lump or mass that is hard, painless, and has rough edges is more likely to be cancer. Women should also watch for breast pain, swelling, dimpling, nipples that hurt or leak liquid, or any redness or thickening of the skin. They need to see their doctor right away if they notice anything different.
11. All but which of the following put women at greater risk of breast cancer:
a. Being overweight or obese after menopause
b. Drinking alcohol
c. The younger a woman is when she has her first child
d. Having the first menstrual period before age 12
Answer – C. The older a woman is when she has her first child puts her at greater risk for breast cancer.
12. The five-year survival rate for all women diagnosed with breast cancer is 90 percent,
and the five-year survival rate for women who are diagnosed early and whose cancer is confined to the breast is 98 percent – True or False?
Answer – TRUE. Early detection is key in catching breast cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage.