McHenry County issued the following announcement on Oct. 17.
McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) and the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP) would like to remind women of the importance of breast cancer screenings. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), other than certain types of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the most common cause of death from cancer in Hispanic women. It is projected that in the United States, 266,120 cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed and 40,920 women will lose their lives to breast cancer in 2018.
Governor Rauner has proclaimed October as Breast Cancer Month and October 19th, 2018 as Mammography Day in Illinois. The ultimate goal is to educate women about breast cancer and the importance of early detection through mammography. A mammogram is the best way to catch breast cancer early, sometimes up to three years before a lump can be felt, decreasing the likelihood it has spread and thereby improving survival rates.
Women have a one in eight lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. The risk for some women may be higher because of age, family history, race and ethnicity, and lifestyle choices. Every woman should be knowledgeable about her own personal risk and the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. Aside from getting yearly screenings to detect an abnormality, it is important for each woman to know what is normal for her and to report any new lump or any of the following symptoms to her health care provider right away:
- Swelling of all or part of a breast (even if no lump is felt)
- Skin irritation or dimpling
- Breast or nipple pain
- Nipple retraction (turning inward)
- Redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
- Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
Original source can be found here.
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