Ask Dr. Dylan: How common is breast cancer?

Many people are discussing breast cancer as October is Awareness Month, including emergency physician Dr. Dylan Wyatt.

“It is the second most common cancer among women in America. And for women of color, blacks and Hispanics, it is the most common cause of cancer death,” Dr. Wyatt said.

He said one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime and early detection is critical.

“Finding stage 1, which is when the disease is localized and has not spread, has a very, very, very good long-term survival rate,” Wyatt said. “The further it spreads, the more difficult it is to treat effectively.”

Genetics also plays a role.

“It’s really important for people to know their family history in general, but especially with regard to breast cancer,” he said. “There are genetic markers that can be monitored and you can even do a blood test for breast cancer. And so you might know, for example, if your mother or grandmother had breast cancer, you should probably get tested for those markers to make sure you’re not at increased risk, because you might be advised to start screening earlier.”

His own mother is a 10-year breast cancer survivor, so he noted that many good stories can happen after a breast cancer diagnosis.