by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
There’s a killer on the loose.
It takes more than 1,500 lives a day and doesn’t discriminate among its victims. Its name is cancer, and, according to the American Cancer Society, it is the second-leading cause of death in the country behind heart disease.
For women, breast cancer ranks second in the number of deaths. Because one in eight females (1997-99 figures) is likely to develop invasive breast cancer during her life, few households are not touched in some way by the disease. (Invasive cancer is characterized by the spread of cancer cells beyond the original layer of tissue.)
With age as one of the biggest factors in contracting breast cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends all women age 40 and older be examined annually by a health care professional, in addition to annual mammograms and monthly self-examinations. Women between 20 and 39 should have a clinical breast examination every three years and perform monthly self-examinations.
Early detection procedures are common knowledge. Whether the general population complies is questionable.
“Sadly enough, I am not aware of a consistent, overt program to remind, not only women, but men, about regular health checks they should perform,” said Millie Kanyar of Watson Realty. “The topic of breast cancer or prostate cancer only comes up when we hear that someone has been diagnosed with the condition. We are all too busy, but we all regret not having encouraged someone to take action to ensure the early detection of a condition that helps them have a better chance to survive.
“I applaud Ch. 12 for their ‘Buddy Check’ system, but for those in our industry that keep going day-to-day and are too busy to take time for what is really important, there are no readily visible reminders. I would like to see a poster in each office right by the fax machine or the coffee maker to ensure people have a visual reminder each day. Some people are just plain clueless as to the symptoms they should be on the lookout for.”
According to the American Cancer Society, the earliest signs are usually an abnormality that is detected on a mammogram before it can felt by the individual or her doctor. Actual physical symptoms include lumps, thickening, swelling, distortion or tenderness of the breast, skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain, scaliness, ulceration (changes in the skin on the aureole) or retraction (when the nipple appears to pucker or draw inward).
Breast pain typically indicates a benign (non-cancerous) condition. According to the National Breast Cancer Organization, more than 80 percent of breast lumps are benign.
“Any changes in the normal contour or symmetry can be an indicator of breast cancer,” said Dr. Jefferson Edwards, president of the Duval County American Cancer Society unit.
Some companies encourage their employees to think about their health. According to Phyllis Staines of Re/Max Coastal Real Estate, her company sponsors the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and has established a monthly reminder service online. Through a link on her website, visitors may sign up for a free monthly self-exam reminder by e-mail.
Tish Linsinbigler at Watson Realty Amelia Island has taken prevention one step further with personal inquiries.
“We ask [fellow Realtors] about once a month or at least every other month,” she said. “Our directness is due to the fact that my 16-year-old niece and my sister have both found lumps. Fear, unfortunately, can be very motivational.”
Another group getting the word out is the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. In March, the organization held a private screening and workshops in Orange Park to educate colleagues on the importance of taking care of one’s body.
Tests are not the only way to lessen cancer risks, according to professionals. Healthy lifestyle decisions are essential. And knowing the level of risk exposure can help individuals draw up a plan of action.
Risk factors for breast cancer include a long menstrual history (periods that began early in life and ended late), post-menopausal obesity, increased breast density, recent use of oral contraceptives or post-menopausal estrogens and progestin, consumption of more than one alcoholic beverage daily, waiting until after age 30 to give birth for the first time, never having children and a family history of the disease.
The inherited susceptibility genes account for approximately 5 percent of all cases. However, for those women who have had an immediate family member diagnosed with breast cancer, the risk doubles. All other cases result from damage to genes (mutations) that occur due to internal factors, such as hormones and the digestion of nutrients within cells, or due to external factors, such as exposure to chemicals and individual behavior patterns.
Vigorous physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight are associated with lower risk. As suggested in Cancer Facts & Figures 2003, exercising moderately for 30 minutes or more five days or more a week can decrease the exposure of breast tissue to circulating estrogen.
Estrogen, a naturally occurring female hormone, can present great health risks at high levels.
“Carrying excess body weight results in fat cells changing chemicals in the blood into estrogen-like compounds that are shown to produce increased risk for women,” said Edwards.
Scientific studies have also noted that eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables [five or more servings a day] can reduce the risk of cancer. Plant-based diets that limit red meat consumption are ideal to stave off cancer by balancing energy levels and providing the proper nutrition. Reducing caffeine intake has proven effective for a number of women, too, but specific findings are not well-documented.
Researchers are not clear on the connection between the negative effects of alcohol and breast cancer.
Thanks to advances in medical technology, women diagnosed with breast cancer are living longer and longer. The five-year relative survival rate is 86 percent (based on cases diagnosed from 1992-98). However, incidence rates in women over age 50 are still increasing. Further, African-Americans are most likely to develop and die from some type cancer than any other other ethnicity.
Breast cancer is most common in Caucasian females, but more African-American women die from it.
Perhaps the trend is reversing. The most recent information reveals younger women, both Caucasian and African-American, are showing the biggest drop in breast cancer mortality
“I had breast cancer three years ago,” said Martha Barrett, a Duval County School Board member. “I’m adamant about following up with my mammograms. They saved my life. I caught it in the very beginning, but, if I hadn’t, God only knows where I’d be.”
“I have annual exams,” said Kathy Orr, vice president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. “Occasionally, I’ll do a self-exam, but I probably don’t do them as much as I should.”
“I try to do it annually,” added Elaine Brown, City Council member and director of corporate relations for PRI Productions. “I put off going to the doctor for little things and keep going [with my life] because I don’t have time to stop. But if I notice something different, I go to the doctor.
“I’m very good about it [regular mammograms]. I think, overall, women get too busy to take care of themselves.”
“This is an issue I take very seriously,” said Audrey Moran, Mayor John Delaney’s chief of staff. “I have three maternal aunts with breast cancer, so I work very hard to have annual exams.
“Women are notorious for putting their health on their back burner [in favor of their children or careers]. But in order to do your job effectively and take care of your family, you need to make it a personal priority. Plus, I have a husband that pushes me [to visit the doctor].”
“I go every year for a check-up,” said Marty Lanahan, city president for AmSouth Bank. “I tend to go to the gynecologist instead of having a full-blown physical. I’m real sensitive to breast cancer because I have a family history of it. It’s important to be aware of the changes in your body and make that a priority.”
Last year, Lanahan hired an expert from the Women’s Resource Center to present an awareness program, Bosom Buddies, at all of the bank’s 10 branches and offices. With roughly 150 females out of 200 local bank employees, they were a prime audience.
“The aim is to teach how to do self-exams and encourage them to do it,” she said. “We probably got half of them [her employees] done. And it didn’t cost a ton of money.”
“I’m a year-and-a-half out from having one,” admitted Edythe Abdullah, president of the downtown campus of Florida Community College at Jacksonville. “I usually have them every year, but we’ve had changes on campus.
“I’m very aware of my body and changes in my body. I’ve found that, other than three days of exercise, being mindful of eating properly and drinking enough water, I have bursts of caring for myself. My personal care is scheduled on a biannual or annual basis, all around the same time.”
Cancer can spread quickly, though. A woman may be cancer-free one day and fighting for her life a few months later. Those who don’t catch the problem in the earliest stages may choose among unpleasant options: lumpectomy (local removal of tumors), mastectomy (surgical removal of the entire breast), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or a combination of treatments.
“Early detection is the key,” said Barrett. “Cancer knows no race, no age, no class of people, so everybody needs to be involved [in fighting it.].”
“It is a never-ending battle to figure out how to balance all those things [home, health and career],” said Abdullah. “What comes with age and maturity is the understanding that you can’t give fully to those around you if you don’t care for yourself. I think that’s the most difficult struggle of the working woman because we tend to be caregivers. We tend to take that on to our own detriment.” Its name is cancer, and, according to the American Cancer Society, it is the second-leading cause of death in the country behind heart disease.
For women, breast cancer ranks second in the number of deaths. Because one in eight females (1997-99 figures) is likely to develop invasive breast cancer during her life, few households are not touched in some way by the disease. (Invasive cancer is characterized by the spread of cancer cells beyond the original layer of tissue.)
With age as one of the biggest factors in contracting breast cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends all women age 40 and older be examined annually by a health care professional, in addition to annual mammograms and monthly self-examinations. Women between 20 and 39 should have a clinical breast examination every three years and perform monthly self-examinations.
Early detection procedures are common knowledge. Whether the general population complies is questionable.
“Sadly enough, I am not aware of a consistent, overt program to remind, not only women, but men, about regular health checks they should perform,” said Millie Kanyar of Watson Realty. “The topic of breast cancer or prostate cancer only comes up when we hear that someone has been diagnosed with the condition. We are all too busy, but we all regret not having encouraged someone to take action to ensure the early detection of a condition that helps them have a better chance to survive.
“I applaud Ch. 12 for their ‘Buddy Check’ system, but for those in our industry that keep going day-to-day and are too busy to take time for what is really important, there are no readily visible reminders. I would like to see a poster in each office right by the fax machine or the coffee maker to ensure people have a visual reminder each day. Some people are just plain clueless as to the symptoms they should be on the lookout for.”
According to the American Cancer Society, the earliest signs are usually an abnormality that is detected on a mammogram before it can felt by the individual or her doctor. Actual physical symptoms include lumps, thickening, swelling, distortion or tenderness of the breast, skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain, scaliness, ulceration (changes in the skin on the aureole) or retraction (when the nipple appears to pucker or draw inward).
Breast pain typically indicates a benign (non-cancerous) condition. According to the National Breast Cancer Organization, more than 80 percent of breast lumps are benign.
“Any changes in the normal contour or symmetry can be an indicator of breast cancer,” said Dr. Jefferson Edwards, president of the Duval County American Cancer Society unit.
Some companies encourage their employees to think about their health. According to Phyllis Staines of Re/Max Coastal Real Estate, her company sponsors the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and has established a monthly reminder service online. Through a link on her website, visitors may sign up for a free monthly self-exam reminder by e-mail.
Tish Linsinbigler at Watson Realty Amelia Island has taken prevention one step further with personal inquiries.
“We ask [fellow Realtors] about once a month or at least every other month,” she said. “Our directness is due to the fact that my 16-year-old niece and my sister have both found lumps. Fear, unfortunately, can be very motivational.”
Another group getting the word out is the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors. In March, the organization held a private screening and workshops in Orange Park to educate colleagues on the importance of taking care of one’s body.
Tests are not the only way to lessen cancer risks, according to professionals. Healthy lifestyle decisions are essential. And knowing the level of risk exposure can help individuals draw up a plan of action.
Risk factors for breast cancer include a long menstrual history (periods that began early in life and ended late), post-menopausal obesity, increased breast density, recent use of oral contraceptives or post-menopausal estrogens and progestin, consumption of more than one alcoholic beverage daily, waiting until after age 30 to give birth for the first time, never having children and a family history of the disease.
The inherited susceptibility genes account for approximately 5 percent of all cases. However, for those women who have had an immediate family member diagnosed with breast cancer, the risk doubles. All other cases result from damage to genes (mutations) that occur due to internal factors, such as hormones and the digestion of nutrients within cells, or due to external factors, such as exposure to chemicals and individual behavior patterns.
Vigorous physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight are associated with lower risk. As suggested in Cancer Facts & Figures 2003, exercising moderately for 30 minutes or more five days or more a week can decrease the exposure of breast tissue to circulating estrogen.
Estrogen, a naturally occurring female hormone, can present great health risks at high levels.
“Carrying excess body weight results in fat cells changing chemicals in the blood into estrogen-like compounds that are shown to produce increased risk for women,” said Edwards.
Scientific studies have also noted that eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables [five or more servings a day] can reduce the risk of cancer. Plant-based diets that limit red meat consumption are ideal to stave off cancer by balancing energy levels and providing the proper nutrition. Reducing caffeine intake has proven effective for a number of women, too, but specific findings are not well-documented.
Researchers are not clear on the connection between the negative effects of alcohol and breast cancer.
Thanks to advances in medical technology, women diagnosed with breast cancer are living longer and longer. The five-year relative survival rate is 86 percent (based on cases diagnosed from 1992-98). However, incidence rates in women over age 50 are still increasing. Further, African-Americans are most likely to develop and die from some type cancer than any other other ethnicity.
Breast cancer is most common in Caucasian females, but more African-American women die from it.
Perhaps the trend is reversing. The most recent information reveals younger women, both Caucasian and African-American, are showing the biggest drop in breast cancer mortality
“I had breast cancer three years ago,” said Martha Barrett, a Duval County School Board member. “I’m adamant about following up with my mammograms. They saved my life. I caught it in the very beginning, but, if I hadn’t, God only knows where I’d be.”
“I have annual exams,” said Kathy Orr, vice president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. “Occasionally, I’ll do a self-exam, but I probably don’t do them as much as I should.”
“I try to do it annually,” added Elaine Brown, City Council member and director of corporate relations for PRI Productions. “I put off going to the doctor for little things and keep going [with my life] because I don’t have time to stop. But if I notice something different, I go to the doctor.
“I’m very good about it [regular mammograms]. I think, overall, women get too busy to take care of themselves.”
“This is an issue I take very seriously,” said Audrey Moran, Mayor John Delaney’s chief of staff. “I have three maternal aunts with breast cancer, so I work very hard to have annual exams.
“Women are notorious for putting their health on their back burner [in favor of their children or careers]. But in order to do your job effectively and take care of your family, you need to make it a personal priority. Plus, I have a husband that pushes me [to visit the doctor].”
“I go every year for a check-up,” said Marty Lanahan, city president for AmSouth Bank. “I tend to go to the gynecologist instead of having a full-blown physical. I’m real sensitive to breast cancer because I have a family history of it. It’s important to be aware of the changes in your body and make that a priority.”
Last year, Lanahan hired an expert from the Women’s Resource Center to present an awareness program, Bosom Buddies, at all of the bank’s 10 branches and offices. With roughly 150 females out of 200 local bank employees, they were a prime audience.
“The aim is to teach how to do self-exams and encourage them to do it,” she said. “We probably got half of them [her employees] done. And it didn’t cost a ton of money.”
“I’m a year-and-a-half out from having one,” admitted Edythe Abdullah, president of the downtown campus of Florida Community College at Jacksonville. “I usually have them every year, but we’ve had changes on campus.
“I’m very aware of my body and changes in my body. I’ve found that, other than three days of exercise, being mindful of eating properly and drinking enough water, I have bursts of caring for myself. My personal care is scheduled on a biannual or annual basis, all around the same time.”
Cancer can spread quickly, though. A woman may be cancer-free one day and fighting for her life a few months later. Those who don’t catch the problem in the earliest stages may choose among unpleasant options: lumpectomy (local removal of tumors), mastectomy (surgical removal of the entire breast), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy or a combination of treatments.
“Early detection is the key,” said Barrett. “Cancer knows no race, no age, no class of people, so everybody needs to be involved [in fighting it.].”
“It is a never-ending battle to figure out how to balance all those things [home, health and career],” said Abdullah. “What comes with age and maturity is the understanding that you can’t give fully to those around you if you don’t care for yourself. I think that’s the most difficult struggle of the working woman because we tend to be caregivers. We tend to take that on to our own detriment.”