THE REALITY Australian Breast Cancer Statistics

BREAST CANCER STATISTICS Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Australian women. 48 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every day and in 2017, it is estimated that 17, 586 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. It is estimated that 847 women between the ages of 20-39 will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. The number of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia is increasing however Australia has one of the best breast cancer survival rates in the world. Australian women have a 1 in 8 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer by the age of 85. The average age of the first diagnosis of breast cancer in women is 61. https://www.bcna.org.au/media/4202/bcna-2017-current-breast-cancer-statistics-in-australia.pdf

BREAST CANCER STATISTICS The risk of breast cancer increases with age. Approximately 78% of new cases of breast cancer develop in women over the age of 50. Breast cancer isn’t just a women’s disease. About 144 men are diagnosed with it every year. Survival: The chance of surviving at least ten years (ten year relative survival) is now 83%. Increasing survival is due to earlier diagnosis through screening and improved treatments. Prevalence: As at the end of 2012, it is estimated there are over 190,000 women alive who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the previous 30 years. For any men in the audience, it is important to know that breast cancer isn’t just a disease that women get. In fact, about 144 men are diagnosed wit the disease every year. It isn’t all doom and gloom, we’re surviving longer than we did 25 years ago. https://www.bcna.org.au/media/4202/bcna-2017-current-breast-cancer-statistics-in-australia.pdf

WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER BEFORE THE AGE OF 85 1 IN 8 WOMEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER BEFORE THE AGE OF 85

49 PEOPLE WILL BE DIAGNOSED with breast cancer in Australia every day each year. 17712 men and women will be diagnosed in 2017.

150 MEN ARE DIAGNOSED EACH YEAR Recent statistics show that 150 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year

RISKY BUSINESS

Sources of Information “Women overwhelming believe that their mothers are best placed to first educate young women on the importance of being breast aware.”

RISKY BUSINESS Q. Being a woman? A. Yes. Women are 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer than men.* Q. Growing older? A. Yes. Breast cancer can occur in younger women, but about three out of four breast cancer cases occur in women aged 50 years and older. About one in 250 women in their 30s will develop breast cancer in the next ten years. This compares to about one in 30 for women in their 70s. Q. Being a smoker? A. Yes. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of cancer in the world – plus, recent evidence suggests it does seem to affect the risk of breast cancer specifically. * https://breastcancerrisk.canceraustralia.gov.au/risk-factors/personal-characteristics Refer to the extended responses for Risky Business in the Facilitator’s Guide http://www.curvelurve.com.au/media/6878/the_workplace_guide.pdf

RISKY BUSINESS Q. Using deodorant? A. No. Research has been done on this subject, but it did not find any convincing evidence that antiperspirants or deodorants cause breast cancer. Q. Wearing an underwire bra? A. No. Underwire bras will not increase the risk. Q. Bumping or bruising the breast? A. No. An injury will not increase the risk of breast cancer. Q. Having a nipple piercing? A. No. Nipple piercings will not increase the risk of breast cancer, although may increase the risk of infection or it may damage the milk ducts. Refer to the extended responses for Risky Business in the Facilitator’s Guide http://www.curvelurve.com.au/media/6878/the_workplace_guide.pdf

RISKY BUSINESS Q. Drinking alcohol? A. Yes. Drinking more than two glasses of alcohol each day is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Your risk increases with each additional 10g of alcohol intake per day.* Q. Being physically inactive? A. Yes. Active women of all ages are at reduced risk of breast cancer compared to women who do not exercise. Q. Taking the contraceptive pill? A. Grey Area. Some studies have shown that there was a small increase in risk while women were using combined oral contraceptives and in the 10 years after stopping. The effect of the Pill on breast cancer risk was gradually reduced after cessation and, by 10 years after cessation, was no different than risk for women who had never used the Pill. Other studies have suggested that oral contraceptives do not increase the risk of breast cancer. * https://breastcancerrisk.canceraustralia.gov.au/risk-factors/lifestyle-health Refer to the extended responses for Risky Business in the Facilitator’s Guide http://www.curvelurve.com.au/media/6878/the_workplace_guide.pdf

RISKY BUSINESS Q. Eating a healthy diet? A. No. Eating a healthy diet isn’t a factor that puts you at risk of breast cancer – in fact, it can actually reduce the risk of getting cancer later in life. Q. Sleeping in a bra, especially one with an underwire? A. No. There is no scientific proof to show that sleeping in a bra can give someone breast cancer. Q. Topless sunbathing? A. No. sunbathing topless will not cause breast cancer. There is actually evidence that keeping vitamin D levels topped up via sun exposure may help prevent breast cancer. However, while the sun's ultraviolet radiation is the best source of vitamin D it is also the major cause of skin cancer. In Australia, we need to balance the risk of skin cancer from too much sun exposure with maintaining adequate vitamin D levels. Refer to the extended responses for Risky Business in the Facilitator’s Guide http://www.curvelurve.com.au/media/6878/the_workplace_guide.pdf

RISKY BUSINESS Q. Strong family history A. Yes. A woman's risk of breast cancer is two or more times greater if she has a first degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who developed the disease before the age of 50. A woman's risk also increases with the number of first-degree relatives affected. Q. Implants and breast reductions? A. No. Surgery does not increase your risk of breast cancer. Breast implants may make mammography technically more difficult. Q. Starting menstruation earlier, or starting menopause later? A. Yes. There is a correlation between early menstruation and late menopause.* * https://breastcancerrisk.canceraustralia.gov.au/risk-factors/hormones-and-menstrual-history Refer to the extended responses for Risky Business in the Facilitator’s Guide http://www.curvelurve.com.au/media/6878/the_workplace_guide.pdf

RISKY BUSINESS Q. Using hormone replacement therapy (HRT)? A. Yes. There is a small risk but it applies to long-term users of HRT (longer than 3 years.) The risk decreases when HRT is ceased and is back to baseline 5 years after HRT is ceased. Q. Giving birth? A. No. Women who have given birth before 30 have a slightly lower risk of breast cancer. Women who have given birth at any age also have a slightly lower risk of breast cancer.* Q. Breastfeeding? A. No. Breastfeeding for at least 12 months or longer is generally regarded as a protective factor and can slightly reduce your breast cancer risk.* Q. Having large breasts? No. Women with larger breasts are not more likely to get breast cancer. * https://breastcancerrisk.canceraustralia.gov.au/risk-factors/protective-factors Refer to the extended responses for Risky Business in the Facilitator’s Guide http://www.curvelurve.com.au/media/6878/the_workplace_guide.pdf

What to do if you find a change in your breast First of all, don’t panic. Most changes in the breast are not related to breast cancer, so chances are you’ll be just fine. However if you do find a lump, or notice a change in your breast, it’s important to visit your GP immediately. Remember, the sooner you see your GP after finding a change in your breast, the better. Your GP will conduct a clinical breast examination to determine whether you will need further testing. So what do you do if you find a change in your breast.   First thing – DON’T PANIC. Remember, 9 out of 10 changes found in the breast are not cancer. That said, it is better to have any change checked out by a GP. However, it is a good idea to go and see your GP as soon as you can and discuss what you have found. Your GP is the best person to decide on what if you need any further testing you may require.

What about breast screening? Screening mammography, especially for women aged 50-74 years, is currently the best method available for detecting breast cancer early. Breast cancer found early is easier to treat than those that are advanced. It is the only method for early detection that has been shown in clinical trials to reduce deaths from breast cancer across the population. Women aged 50-74 are encouraged to have a free mammogram every two years through BreastScreen Australia. Mammograms are not a reliable screening test for women under 40. Mammograms are a screening tool to detect breast cancer. It is basically a low dose breast x-ray.   Mammograms have two purposes, the first is as a screening tool to detect breast cancer. Mammograms are also used as a breast imaging technique for diagnostic and screening purposes. So if you find something unusual in your breast, a mammogram may be required to find out more information about what's going on. Screening mammography, especially for women aged 50-74 years, is currently the best method available for detecting breast cancer early. Breast Cancers found early are easier to treat than those that have advanced. Early detection also gives best treatment options. If you are aged 50-74 you will be invited by a letter for a free mammogram every two years through the BreastScreen program. BreastScreen also offers mammograms for free to women over 40 and over 74, however reminder letters will not be sent to you if you’re not between 50-74. If you would like to make an appointment or to get more information on BreastScreen, give them a call on 13 20 50. This number is easy to remember. 13 is when you grow them, 20 is when you show them, 50 is when you screen them. Regular screening mammograms are not recommended for women under 40 years of age. The tissue of young women’s breasts tends to be denser than that of older women. This is due to the influence of hormones. On a mammogram, dense breast tissue shows up as a white area. Breast cancers also appear white and are therefore more difficult to find on younger women’s mammograms. Finding a tumour in a mammogram of a woman under the age of 40 was like "looking for a snowball in a blizzard." However if you are sent for investigative screening is likely that you will receive a mammogram and an ultra sound even if you are under 40.

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