Breast Cancer Awareness

About 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime in the U.S., but despite its common occurrence, receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer can still be an isolating experience. 

This October, for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, breast surgeons Katharine A. Yao, MD, FACS, and Daniela A. Ochoa, MD, FACS, of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) will be available for media interviews to share tips on coping with a breast cancer diagnosis and how to find patient-centered care designed to support women from diagnosis through survivorship. 

1. You have multiple options – Treatment for breast cancer will depend on the stage and type of breast cancer diagnosed. There are several surgical options as well as emerging treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer, an especially aggressive form of breast cancer that disproportionately affects Black women and has been historically difficult to treat.
2. Your emotional health matters – Your emotional well-being before and after treatment for breast cancer matters as much as any other aspect of your treatment plan. 
3. Fighting breast cancer takes a team – Comprehensive care begins with finding a breast cancer team that guides you every step of the way, including a surgeon, oncologist, patient navigator, nursing staff, social worker or psychologist, and others. When first diagnosed with breast cancer, women may first meet with a surgeon or medical oncologist to discuss their options, but care should not end after one visit or after surgery is complete.  

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The National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) is a clinical oncology database jointly operated by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) and the American Cancer Society. The NCDB captures approximately 82% of all newly diagnosed breast cancers in the U.S.

Researchers with the NCDB have noted some significant breast cancer trends in recent years:

• Screening saves lives: Increases in breast cancer screening, particularly in patients older than 40, mean more cancers are being caught at Stage I, when breast cancer is most treatable. According to an analysis by NCDB researchers, increased awareness and use of breast cancer screening has resulted in a 67% increase in Stage I breast cancer diagnoses since 2021 at hospitals accredited by the CoC. Diagnosing breast cancer early has one of the biggest impacts on outcomes, as women with Stage I breast cancer have the highest survival rates.
• Younger women are increasingly diagnosed with breast cancer: While breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in women over 40, between 2011 and 2021 at CoC-accredited hospitals, there was a 62% increase in people under the age of 40 being diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer, a 59% increase in Stage III breast cancer, and a 60% in Stage IV breast cancer. The overall number of women under 40 diagnosed with breast cancer is still small compared to older populations but represents a large increase from the number of later-stage breast cancers diagnosed in 2011. Approximately 6,200 later-stage (Stage II or above) breast cancers were diagnosed in 2021 in women under 40 compared to the approximately 3,800 cases diagnosed in 2011.
• Practice breast self-awareness: The reasons for the rise in breast cancer and other cancers in younger populations are not fully understood. Women of all ages can decrease their risk of breast cancer by beginning screening as recommended by their physician (usually by age 40, or earlier if advised by your care team) and promptly reporting any unusual breast changes to their physician, including any lumps, nipple discharge, or changes to the skin around the nipple or breast. Modifying some lifestyle factors, such as quitting smoking and limiting alcohol use, maintaining a healthy body weight, and eating a healthy diet, may also reduce breast cancer risk.

Receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer or being told you are at high risk of the disease is a life-changing moment that can spur many complex emotions. Deciding between treatment options can be equally overwhelming and frustrating without the proper care and guidance.

One good marker to guide quality care is looking for a center accredited by the NAPBC, which has new guidelines that help accredited centers put patients and their care journey front and center of the treatment process, from diagnosis through survivorship. Find an NAPBC-accredited breast center today.

• Breast Cancer Information & Overview, American Cancer Society.
• American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2024-2025. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2024.
• Breast Density and You, American College of Radiology
• Información sobre cáncer en español, American Cancer Society