You have breast cancer.

These are the words one in eight women will hear in a lifetime. They are devastating and scary, even more so for those facing a battle without proper insurance and support.  On Sunday, November 6, San Diegans from across the County will walk in the 15^th Annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k (3.1 miles) through Balboa Park to raise money to help fight breast cancer and save lives. 75% of every dollar raised stays in San Diego County to support programs for uninsured women and their families that cover every step of the breast cancer journey - from education, outreach, mammograms, and diagnostics to surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and support.  The remaining 25% funds international breast cancer research. Next to the U.S. Government, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is the world’s largest funder of breast cancer research. 

 Did you know?

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.

• The most significant risk factors are being a female and getting older.
• Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate.
• Breast cancer typically strikes women during their most productive years, both professionally and personally.
• Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in U.S. women ages 40-59.
• Men can get breast cancer, too. One percent of breast cancer diagnosis will be in male patients.

Over 40?  Get a yearly mammogram!

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ new recommendation that women begin getting mammograms annually beginning at the age of 40 is a victory for women’s health that opens a door to early detection of breast cancer for millions.

“This recommendation reaffirms what we have been saying for many years – that women in their 40s should get mammograms because early detection saves lives,” said Laura Farmer Sherman, Executive Director of Susan G. Komen for the Cure in San Diego.  Komen for the Cure has long recommended annual mammography beginning at age 40 for women of average risk for breast cancer. 

“Women in their 40s who are screened are 15 percent less likely to die from breast cancer than their peers of the same age who aren’t screened,” Farmer Sherman said. “Early detection and early treatment are vital components for effective treatment of this disease.”

Questions about the impact of mammograms on mortality rates in this age group have been the subject of numerous studies, with confusion about the issue escalating in November 2009 when the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended against annual mammography for women of average risk in their 40s. The USPSTF cited potential over-treatment, false positives and resulting anxiety, with no appreciable impact on mortality from the disease.

Because USPSTF guidelines are often used by healthcare providers as practice guidelines, and by third-party payers to determine whether a procedure or test will be covered, Komen opposed the Task Force recommendation and immediately began advocating to continue access to mammograms for women in their 40s who want them.

Nevertheless, confusion about the issue has kept women away, Farmer said, citing a recent survey showing as many as 50 percent of insured women who are eligible for mammograms aren’t getting them. “The College’s new recommendation should add some clarity, and weight, for its 50,000 doctors on the front lines of women’s health.”

Previously, The College had recommended mammography every two years in the 40-49 age group and annually starting at 50. In changing the guidelines today, it cited the incidence of breast cancer, the time it takes for breast cancer to grow, and the potential to reduce breast cancer deaths.

Like Komen, The College continues to also recommend annual clinical breast exams (CBE) for women ages 40 and older, and every one to three years for women ages 20–39. Additionally, Komen and The College encourage “breast self-awareness” (understanding the look and feel of one’s breasts and reporting changes to a healthcare provider) for women ages 20 and older.

“We can’t say it often enough: early detection leads to early treatment that saves women’s lives,” Farmer Sherman said. “Five-year survival rates for cancers detected early are 98 percent in the United States.  When detected later, the five-year survival rate falls to 23 percent. Every woman, of every age group, must be vigilant.”

Farmer Sherman, meanwhile, has encouraged additional investment into more sensitive, cost-effective and portable breast cancer screening technology. Komen itself has invested $17 million into screening research since its inception in 1982, including $3 million to develop new screening methodologies since the USPSTF guidelines were issued in 2009.