October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Concentra is joining the worldwide effort to help people understand the importance of early detection, which is the key to surviving breast cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), over 12% of women – or 1 in 8 – will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetimes. The NCI estimates that, this year alone, more than 190,000 women will be diagnosed with new cases of invasive breast cancer. Thanks to early detection, most of these cases will not prove to be fatal. In fact, there are 2,500,000 survivors of breast cancer living in the United States today.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that usually develops in the ducts or lobules, which are the milk-producing areas of the breast. The cancer is called non-invasive if it is confined to the breast, and is called invasive if it spreads. There are five stages (0, I, II, III, and IV) of invasive breast cancer; the higher the number, the larger the tumor and therefore the more serious the cancer.

What do you need to know about early detection? For starters, the American Cancer Society recommends women:

• Obtain yearly mammogram screenings beginning at age 40
• Obtain yearly clinical breast exams
• Check their breasts regularly for lumps
• Discuss their risk of breast cancer with their physician

There are several risk factors, such as your age and having a family history of breast cancer, that can increase your risk of breast cancer. And although rare, men are not immune from this disease, so they need to be aware of risk factors, too.

For more information about breast cancer and the importance of early detection:

• Ask your health care provider
• Download the Concentra Breast Cancer Screening flyer
• Visit the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Web site.
• Visit the American Cancer Society Web site.