About 39,840 women will die from breast cancer this year.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women behind skin cancers. The chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman's life is a little less than 1 in 8 or 12 percent.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.
More than 2.5 million have survived breast cancer in the United States - this includes women still being treated and those who have completed treatment.
About 207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women this year.
About 54,010 new cases of carcinoma in situ, or CIS, will be diagnosed this year. CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer.
Women should start a breast self-exam test in their 20s and know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast changes to a health professional as soon as they are found. Finding a breast change does not necessarily mean there is a cancer.
A clinical breast exam is an exam of your breasts by a health care professional. The exam requires the woman to undress from the waist up. The health care professional will first look at the breasts for abnormalities in size or shape, or changes in the skin of the breasts or nipple. Then, using the pads of the fingers, the examiner will gently feel the breasts.
Medicare, Medicaid and most private health insurance plans cover mammogram costs or a percentage of them. Low-cost mammograms are available in most communities. Call 1-800-227-2345 for information about facilities in your area or visit www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp.
Tips for having a mammogram
Women 40 years and older should have a mammogram yearly. A recent study by the US Preventive Services Task Force has caused controversy on the issue with its recommendation that women start having mammograms at 50 years and every other year.
Women with breast implants or who are breastfeeding can still have mammograms.
On the day of the exam, don't wear deodorant or antiperspirant. Some of these contain substances that can interfere with the reading of the mammogram by appearing on the X-ray film as white spots.
Wear a skirt or pants, so that you'll need to remove only your blouse for the exam.
Schedule a mammogram when breasts aren't tender or swollen to help reduce discomfort and to ensure a good picture. Try to avoid the week before your period.
Always describe any breast symptoms or problems to the technologist doing the mammogram. Be prepared to describe any medical history that could affect your breast cancer risk - such as surgery, hormone use, or family or personal history of breast cancer. Discuss any new findings or problems in your breasts with your doctor or nurse before having a mammogram.
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If you do not hear from your doctor within 10 days, do not assume that your mammogram was normal - call your doctor or the facility.
If it is not posted visibly near the receptionist's desk, ask to see the FDA certificate that is issued to all facilities that offer mammography. The FDA requires that all facilities meet high professional standards of safety and quality to be a provider of mammography services. A facility may not provide mammography without certification.
Use a facility that either specializes in mammography or does many mammograms a day.
If you are satisfied that the facility is of high quality, continue to go there on a regular basis so that your mammograms can be compared from year to year.
If you have had mammograms at another facility, you should make every attempt to get those mammograms to bring with you to the new facility (or have them sent there) so that they can be compared to the new ones.
If you are going to a facility for the first time, bring a list of the places, dates of mammograms, biopsies or other breast treatments you have had before.
What to expect when you have a mammogram
A technologist - most are women - will be there to position your breasts for the mammogram. You and the technologist are the only ones in the room during the mammogram. The whole procedure takes about 20 minutes.
To get a high-quality mammogram picture with excellent image quality, it is necessary to flatten the breast slightly. The technologist places the breast on the mammogram machine's lower plate, which is made of metal and has a drawer to hold the X-ray film or the camera to produce a digital image. The upper plate, made of plastic, is lowered to compress the breast for a few seconds while the technician takes a picture.
You will feel some discomfort when your breasts are compressed, and for some women compression can be painful. Try not to schedule a mammogram when your breasts are likely to be tender, as they may be just before or during your period.
All mammogram facilities are now required to send your results to you within 30 days. Generally, you will be contacted within five working days if there is a problem with the mammogram.
Two to four mammograms of every 1,000 lead to a diagnosis of cancer. About 10 percent of women who have a mammogram will require more tests, and the majority will need only an additional mammogram. Between 8 percent to 10 percent of women will need a biopsy, and 80 percent of those biopsies will not be cancer.
Source: American Cancer Society, 2010
