Protect Your Girls: 5 Fast Facts About Breast Cancer Every Latina Should Know

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Protect Your Girls: 5 Fast Facts About Breast Cancer Every Latina Should Know

10/25/2015 12:00PM | 6525 views

It's true: Latinas do have lower rates of breast cancer. But, we're also more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage, making it harder to treat. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Latinas, creating a real threat to our community.

This National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, do more than just wear pink: get the facts on how to stay healthy:

17,000: Approximately 17,000 Hispanic women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the United States.

1 in 10: One in 10 Latinas will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.

15 percent: Fifteen percent of women with breast cancer have a family history of the disease, so pay attention to your hermanas and tias. "Latinas should be aware of any family history of breast or ovarian cancer that could signal higher risk," says Jeffrey N. Weitzel, a physician at City of Hope Hospital in California and a grantee of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Feel For It: Latinas should be checking for these signs during self-examinations:

Lumps or hard knots inside the breast or underarm area
Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast
A change in the size or shape of the breast
Dimpling or puckering of the skin
An itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
Nipple discharge that begins suddenly
New pain in one spot that doesn't go away

40: The American Cancer Society recommends that all women age 40 or over get an annual mammogram. Higher risk women (i.e. those with a family history) may need to be screened earlier and more often.