Breast Cancer
Beth Horenkamp, M.D.
Hematology/Oncology Physicians of Lancaster

"Reprinted From Lancaster County Woman Newspaper."

Every woman is at risk for developing Breast Cancer. Depending on whose statistics you believe 1 in 7 to 1in 9 of us will face Breast Cancer in our lifetimes, and the overwhelming majority of these cancers will occur in women without a family history. Although the words Breast Cancer strike fear in the hearts of most women, as a doctor who treats breast cancer patients I see more wives, mothers, sisters, daughters and grandmothers surviving breast cancer than ever before.  More women today are breast cancer survivors in part because of better treatments, but I believe most of the credit should go to better screening for breast cancer. Better mammogram techniques and more women getting mammograms leads to finding these cancers when they are smaller and more likely to be cured.  The chances that a woman will survive the 10 years following a diagnosis of breast cancer drop with each centimeter increase in the size of her tumor, and fall off even more dramatically once the lymph nodes are involved. To have the best chance of detecting breast cancer at an early stage you need to start doing self breast exams in your 20’s, getting a clinical breast exam from your healthcare provider as part of your annual exam, and starting at age 40 obtain a mammogram annually. The combination of all three of these elements is important, as none of these tools alone is perfect. If you are getting your mammograms and doing your self-exams, rest easy that you are doing all that you can to find breast cancer at a curable stage. If you are not getting your mammograms - face your fear – do your self-exam - see your doctor - get your mammogram - be a survivor.