October is breast cancer awareness month ? Get Smart Get Covered ...

You may have caught comedienne and actress Wanda Sykes on the Ellen Show a couple weeks ago when she revealed her recent bout with breast cancer. While Wanda previously kept her struggle with breast cancer private, she decided now was a good time to let people know what she went through and what helped her. And although Wanda made it clear she doesn?t want to be the poster child for breast cancer, her story is a timely reminder of what so many women have suffered through.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Next to skin cancer, breast cancer is still the most common type of cancer among women. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2011 there are:

• About 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women
• About 57,650 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be found (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer)
• About 39,520 deaths from breast cancer (women)

The American Cancer Society recently released a study indicating that deaths from breast cancer in the United States are down. However, the study also shows that breast cancer mortality rates are lowest amongst women in affluent areas and highest amongst women in poorer areas. According to the study, access to health care may be one of the prime reasons for this disparity.

So, what can you do for Breast Cancer Awareness month? Get informed. If you have health insurance, you may be in the habit of going for your yearly check up where your doctor will examine your breasts. But even if you don?t have health insurance or are in-between checkups, it?s always good to do a quick self examination and know what you?re looking for. According to HealthFinder.gov, symptoms of breast cancer may include:

• A lump in the breast
• A change in size, shape, or feel of the breast
• Unexplained fluid discharge from a nipple

In addition, HealthFinder.gov suggests that women in their forties ask their doctor when and how often they should begin receiving mammograms. For women 50 or older, mammograms are recommended every two years or as directed by your doctor. The National Cancer Institute has released an interactive tool which enables women to assess their own risk of developing breast cancer. For more information on breast cancer, click here.

Image via Flickr user John Loo.

Source: http://blog.ehealthinsurance.com/2011/10/october-is-breast-cancer-awareness-month/

gia kristin chenoweth fashion night out outlook the young and the restless the young and the restless dc universe online