As you may have noticed, BlackGayBlogger.com has gone pink for the month of October to bring awareness to breast cancer. The next few entries will shed some light on the enigma of the disease, signs, treatment and more. For more information, visit PinkforOctober.org or the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Q. Is breast cancer the most common cancer among women? A. Excluding skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women.

Q. Can men get breast cancer? A. Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does occur. Men account for less than 1% of all breast cancer cases.

Q. Who is most at risk for developing breast cancer? A. Several factors contribute to the risk of developing breast cancer. Aside from being female, age is the main risk factor. As age increases, so does the risk of developing breast cancer. In fact, 77% of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer are 50 or older. Family history and altered breast cancer genes also contribute. Obesity and gaining weight are also risk factors. Other risk factors include having a personal history of breast cancer, benign breast disease, and various hormone-related factors.

Q. What effect does a family history of breast cancer have on a womans risk of getting the disease? A. Women with a family history of early breast cancer in a mother or sister age 50 or younger are at increased risk of developing breast cancer. But the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no close relatives (mother, sister, or daughter) with the disease, and most women with a family history will not develop breast cancer.

Q. What is the importance of early detection? A. Numerous studies have shown that early detection saves lives and increases treatment options. The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 97% among individuals whose cancer has not spread beyond the breast at time of diagnosis.

Q. What is a mammogram? A. A mammogram is a low-dose x-ray procedure enabling doctors to see the internal structure of the breast and possibly detect breast cancers that cannot be felt.

Q. When should women have mammograms? A. Yearly mammograms are recommended starting at age 40 and continuing for as long as a woman is in good health. Women with serious health problems or short life expectancy should evaluate ongoing early detection testing with their health care providers.

Q. Does mammography detect all incidences of breast cancer? A. While mammograms detect the majority of breast cancers, they arenot perfect and fail to detect about 10-15% of breast cancers.

Q. Is mammography the only technology currently used to screen for breast cancer? A. Mammography is the gold standard technology. Other imaging techniques, however, are under investigation. These include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), and ultrasound. Some of the techniques currently used to follow up suspicious findings can be felt but may or may not be seen on a mammogram.

Q. What should women do other than get mammograms? A. In addition to annual mammograms, the Society recommends clinical breast exams (CBE) as part of a periodic health exam, about every three years for women in their 20s and 30s, and every year for women 40 and older. In addition, women should know how their breasts normally feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self examination (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s. Women at increased risk (family history, genetic tendency, past breast cancer) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of starting mammography screening earlier and of having additional tests (breast ultrasound and MRI).

Q. When should women perform breast self-examinations? What if they detect a lump? A. While research does not show that doing breast self-examination reduces breast cancer deaths, the exam may provide self-awareness and heightened sensitivity to important breast changes. If a lump is detected, a woman should see her health care provider as soon as possible for an evaluation.

Q. What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer? A. Breast cancer can be detected by the appearance of irregular images on mammograms. Other signs include persistent breast changes, such as a lump, thickening, swelling, dimpling, skin irritation, distortion, retraction, scaliness, ulceration, pain and tenderness of the nipple, or nipple discharge. During a clinical breast examination, lymph nodes under the armpit and above the collarbone may be felt for enlargement or firmness, which might indicate spread of breast cancer.

Information compiled from the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.