October is the breast cancer awareness month. 

As a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, I have the privilege of taking care of breast cancer patients. I usually see patients after their cancer has been diagnosed and worked up, so I get to listen to their stories on how it was first detected and what was the process of working up the cancer.

I have seen so many patients with the diagnosis of breast cancer at younger ages than the recommended age of screening mammogram.

Recently, the new guidelines are recommending starting screening mammogram at later age in patients without significant known risk factors for breast cancer.

Although these recommendations are based on large epidemiologic studies, there are other non-medical factors that play role in these guidelines and policies, like cost and financial burden on healthcare system and insurance companies.

It is not wrong to factor in the cost and financial burden when it comes to designing guidelines and writing policies; it actually is essential because it helps to better utilize the resources.

However, I have seen many patients whose screening, diagnosis or treatment were delayed because “they were too young” to fit in the breast screening protocol or “did not have enough risk factors” to be considered high risk.

This is why I always say “Own Your Fight!”

Be vigilant and proactive. Be consistent with self-exam and if you find something suspicious, make sure you get the appropriate work up even if based on the guidelines, you are “too young” or "not at high risk”.

There are risk factors that we simply are not aware of at this point. There are mutations or environmental risk factors for breast cancer that we will learn about 50 years from now! 

Medicine is an evolving field. 

If you find something suspicious - a mass, skin changes, discharges from nipple- , ask your provider to do what it takes to make sure it is not cancer.

The numbers in studies are just numbers! If the chance of something is 1%, 1 in every 100 individual is at risk of that condition. And for that 1 person, the risk is 100%!

The lifetime risk of breast cancer in the US is 12.5%. Meaning that 1 out of 8 women at some point in life will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Also, men CAN get breast cancer.

I have had patients diagnosed with breast cancer in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

I have had patients who had a mastectomy but had recurrence 20 years later.

Own your fight, advocate for your self, keep your eye open and your fingertips sensitive!

Breast cancer is treatable if diagnosed early!