Native American Women Not Immune to Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer found in women. Accounting for approximately 30 percent of cancer among women, it is the most feared disease that may affect their lives. American Indian women, in particular, are at risk of having this disease impact their lives. According a website known as Breast Health, American Indian women are diagnosed with breast cancer at the same rate as the overall population. But, that is not the scary part! The scary part is this: American Indian women die from breast cancer more frequently than other breast cancer patients. The five-year survival rate for Native American women is lower than any other ethnic and racial group. In comparison to non-Indian women, the survival rate for a Native American woman is only 46.2 percent while non-Indian women have survival rate of 85 percent. Although there is currently no known cause of breast cancer, there are some risk factors that apply to every woman. Below are a few of the most commonly known risk factors.

Gender: Simply being a woman is a major risk for breast cancer. Men can get breast cancer, but it is 100 times more common in women.

Age: The simple act of aging puts a person at a higher risk of getting breast cancer. It is estimated that 77% of women with breast cancer are over age 50. Women aged 20-29 account for only 0.3%. Over the course of her lifetime, a woman's risk for breast cancer is one in eight. The National Cancer Institute has given the following statistics for a woman's chances of developing breast cancer. Look at the chart provided in order to see what your risk is!

By Age	Chances
25	1 in 19,608
30	1 in 2,525
35	1 in 622
40	1 in 217
45	1 in 93
50	1 in 50
55	1 in 33
60	1 in 24
65	1 in 17
70	1 in 14
75	1 in 11
80	1 in 10
85	1 in 9
Lifetime	1 in 8

Family history: A woman's risk for developing breast cancer increases if a blood relative has the disease. The blood relative can be from either the mother’s or father’s side. In fact, having one first-degree relative with breast cancer doubles a woman’s risk. Having two first-degree relatives increases the risk by five times.

Personal history of breast cancer: Women who have already had breast cancer face an increased risk of breast cancer recurring. If a woman had cancer in one breast, her chances of getting breast cancer in the other breast increases three to four times.

Menstrual periods: Women who began menstruating before the age of 12 or went through the change of life after the age of 50 have a small increased risk of breast cancer.

Late childbearing: Women who had their first child after the age of 30 have a greater chance of developing breast cancer than women who had their children at a younger age.

Myth #1. Young women don’t get breast cancer: Although risk is known to increase with the age of a woman, young women are not immune. It is estimated that eighty percent of breast cancer cases are in women 50 years and older. The remaining twenty percent is found in women younger than 50.

Myth #2. There is a known cause for breast cancer: As of today, the cause of breast cancer remains a mystery. Nobody really knows the cause of the disease except for some known risk factors.

Myth #3. Bras and deodorants cause breast cancer: There is no data to support the finding that bras and deodorants cause cancer. Much of this myth stems from studies done on women in underdeveloped countries—who have a lower incidence of breast cancer than women in developed countries. Since women in these areas don’t have access to the same products as women in developed countries, it could be that elements of our modern lifestyle contribute to increased rates of breast cancer.

Myth #4. Women with larger breasts are at greater risk: The incidence of the disease in men is proof that size doesn’t matter.

Myth #5. Breast cancer can be prevented: Currently there is no way to prevent breast cancer. There is also no guarantee that you will not develop breast cancer. Taking steps toward early detection, such as yearly breast exams, improve a woman’s chances for successfully treating breast cancer in its early stages.

Although there is no proven way to prevent breast cancer, there are some things you can do in order to lower your risk of developing breast cancer. Below, are some helpful hints!

Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, grains and soy foods like tofu. Try to eat less meat, fish and dairy.

Don’t smoke and try to avoid second-hand smoke.

Drink moderately, if at all, and try to avoid hard liquors.

Be cautious about all uses of medical radiation on your body.

Exercise! It has been proven that exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer.