Diagnosis, treatment of breast cancer will be discussed on October 24

Soon, in dresses, ties, bandanas, ribbons pinned to lapels and hats, the colors of posters that advertise for charity races, the rose will pass through reds, oranges and yellows.

The color appears in the fall – namely in October – for breast cancer awareness, reminders that women and men should check their own cancer risks, lest this be endemic too.

Breast cancer, its detection and treatment will carry the conversation of the next HealthyLife seminar presented by Albany Medical Center on October 24th.

Dr. Christa Abraham, a surgeon from Albany Med with one of her concentrations in breast cancer and a presenter for the HealthyLife conference, said that awareness and events organized by organizations like the 39, American Cancer Society be done.

"We still need to educate underserved areas medically, encouraging patients to have mammograms and annual breast exams are ways to fight breast cancer and promote early detection," she said.

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in American women. The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 64,000 women will receive an early diagnosis of non-invasive breast cancer this year, while more than 265,000 cases of invasive breast cancer will be detected.

The number of women who died of breast cancer has declined over the decades – 39% between 1989 and 2015, according to the cancer society – and this is partly due to screenings. Abraham said that services are available even in areas where access to medical care is reduced.

"There are resources for women's health through funding from the state of New York for care and imaging for breast cancer screening among uninsured women."

Men are also sensitive to breast growth and cancer, but less. Abraham cited a statistic from the American Cancer Society that in 2018, 480 men will die of breast cancer; The risk of breast cancer in men is 1 in 833. When it was discovered in men, Abraham stated that the disease had already spread to the lymph nodes.

"Some men do not think that they can have breast cancer and can ignore a breast mass. Some men are embarrassed when they find a breast mass and may choose not to talk about it," he said. she said. "The best chance for effective treatment in men who are palpating a breast mass is early medical attention."

Progress has been made in detecting the effects of breast cancer on each person. The US Joint Committee has released a new classification system that evaluates the biology of tumors, combined with a risk assessment. This can help determine whether surgery or other treatment is needed, based on the "individual tumor biology," she said.

"We are witnessing an exciting transition," said Abraham, about breast cancer treatment and the tools to do it.

Regarding the treatment and detection of breast cancer, Abraham says, "The sooner the better."

"Regular mammograms can help detect breast cancer before the mass is palpated and, overall, detect early-stage breast cancer," she said.