It’s Gonna Take More Than a Pink Ribbon

Ever notice how stories on breast cancer invariably picture a perky, pretty breast? Breasts are beautiful, but that is not breast cancer. This is breast cancer, and it kills 40,000 women a year.

It’s breast cancer month, gang. (This means that you can forget all about it in 30 days, because November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. This is the American way. Remember Chandra Levy? Or that Natalie girl who went on spring break in Aruba? Or Osama? Or every other news story ever? Yeah, me neither.)

Back to breast cancer. Pink ribbons may be memorable and gender appropriate, but it’s going to take more than marketing some rosy threads on bosoms and buses to combat our high rates of breast cancer. Although the idea – raising awareness – was a laudable one, we are still losing tens of thousands of women to breast cancer every year. As it turns out, pretty pink ribbons all over the place are doing a brilliant job of ensuring utter ubiquity, which is another way to spell ineffective. (Simmer down, grumpertons – this is all according to the Chicago Tribune. I’m merely the messenger; I happen to swaddle myself in pink ribbons on a regular basis.)

But seriously, part of the problem with our slow progress – aside from the ribbons – is that myths abound. Most people believe breast cancer is hereditary, when in fact breast cancer overwhelmingly strikes women with no family history of breast cancer at all. And there’s no clear education about whether self-exams or mammographies are more important in catching breast cancer as early as possible.

One cheery expert says simply: “We don’t know how to prevent breast cancer. We don’t know how to detect it truly early. We don’t know how to cure it. And we don’t know enough about what puts us at risk for it.”

The good news: a potentially powerful new breast cancer drug is in the works, and there are lifestyle factors that can significantly influence a woman’s risk of breast cancer. The basics: don’t drink too much, don’t smoke, exercise regularly, watch your weight, eat a lot of vegetables, cut back on processed foods, avoid hormone replacement therapy (if you can), and breastfeed those babies (if you have them). And learn the warning signs!

Further news:

Fox News says women who have stressful full-time jobs have a significantly increased risk of developing breast cancer. This study departs from a previous, longer-term, larger Danish study that found full-time jobs actually reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Hmm. Muy interesante, Rupert.

Mammograms: ouch!

Mammograms are uncomfortable, but not unbearable. All women should get annual mammograms starting at age 40. If you have breast cancer risk factors (e.g. if you’re overweight or smoke), start in your 30s. And get healthy, for Christ’s sake! Here is more important information about mammograms.

(Lead photo link)