It’s almost October, which means – Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. In honor of this important month, we at The Modern East have prepared some articles revolving the topic of breast cancer. For today, we have compiled a list of facts about breast cancer that every woman should know about. Keep reading to find out what they are!

Breast Cancer is Common

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, except for skin cancers. It is estimated that in 2020, approximately 30% of all new women cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer. Make sure to get tested and become familiar with how to prevent it!

The Importance of Testing

Women who get regularly screened for breast cancer have a 47% lower risk of dying from the disease compared to those who don’t. As a woman, it is extremely important for you to visit your gynecologist at least once a year for a general checkup and to make sure your body is in a healthy condition. By doing this you are also more likely to get early detection in the case of breast cancer.

The First Record of Mastectomy

The first record of a breast mastectomy was in A.D. 548 on Theodora, Empress of Byzantine. Significant progress in our understanding and treatment of breast cancer in recent decades has seen a dramatic reduction in the use of ‘radical’ mastectomy (where the breast, underlying chest muscle, and lymph nodes are removed), which was the standard surgical approach to breast cancer right up until the 1960s.

Animals Can Get It Too

Breast cancer occurs in both dogs and cats, although, It is more common in dogs than cats, but tends to be more aggressive in cats than dogs.! If you have a furry friend that you love or care for, this is the month to get them checked upon at the vet!

Nowadays, Many Women Survive It

Huge progress has been made in recent years in breast cancer. In fact, breast cancer management across risk assessment, prevention, surgery, radiation, and other treatment, has changed dramatically. Death rates from breast cancer in more developed countries have been declining in recent years.