Breast cancer is often thought of as only affecting women of a certain age range. The truth is that this insidious cancer can affect people of any gender or age. However, it's true that biological women over the age of 50 are at the highest risk. In light of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let's take a closer look at the subject and how it affects seniors in Frankfort, Georgetown, Lawrenceburg, Midway, and Versailles.
Do You Have Any of These 15 Risk Factors for Breast Cancer?
As scientists continue to study this often devastating disease, more risk factors may become known. However, these are the fifteen currently known risk factors for developing breast cancer according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. The first nine are factors over which you have no control.
- Being born genetically female with XX chromosomes
- Age 50 or older
- Close family history (parent, sibling, or child) of either breast or ovarian cancer or multiple family members with either cancer
- Personal history of breast disease (previous breast cancer, lobular carcinoma in situ, atypical hyperplasia, etc.)
- Inherited genetic mutations (especially BRCA1 and BRCA2)
- Reproductive history of starting menstruation before age 12 or menopause after age 55
- Having dense breast tissue that makes it harder to spot tumors early
- History of radiation therapy before age 30 (for Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment or something similar)
- Diethylstilbestrol (DES) drug exposure (between 1940 and 1971) either while pregnant or as a fetus
Unlike the previous nine risk factors, these six are risk factors you may be able to change.
- Getting little or no physical activity
- Being overweight or obese
- Drinking alcohol, especially in excess
- Using hormone replacement therapy (with both estrogen and progesterone) for more than five years during menopause.
- Having taken certain types of birth control pills
- Pregnancy for the first time after age 30, not carrying at least one pregnancy to term, or never breastfeeding
Other as yet to be confirmed possible risk factors may include smoking, exposure to cancer-causing chemicals, and hormonal changes due to night shift work.
How Often Should a Senior Get a Breast Exam?
There isn't a consensus on this subject since the American Cancer Society (ACS) came out with new guidelines in 2015. Those guidelines recommend annual mammograms starting at age 45 (rather than the previous age of 40) for women at average risk of breast cancer. At age 55, it recommends mammograms every two years instead of annually.
ACS also no longer recommends that women at average risk perform monthly breast self-exams or get a routine clinical breast exam (CBE) from their doctor. However, most gynecologists, radiologists, and oncologists still recommend screenings (including CBEs and mammograms) every one to two years from ages 50 to 74. People with more risk factors should ask their doctor about yearly screenings.
According to Healthline, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) doesn't recommend mammograms for anyone aged 70 and older. If you’re concerned about your elderly loved ones in Frankfort, Georgetown, Lawrenceburg, Midway, and Versailles, most other medical experts recommend mammograms continue until age 75.
How In-Home Senior Care Can Help
Staying on top of medical appointments is often frustrating for both seniors and their family members. Our in-home senior care in Frankfort, Georgetown, Lawrenceburg, Midway, and Versailles can help with appointment scheduling, reminders of upcoming appointments, and transportation to and from a senior loved one's appointments. Never miss an important screening or medical appointment again in the Bluegrass area when you contact us for help!