National Breast Cancer Awareness Month October marks the 15th anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is exciting progress, but there are still women who do not take advantage of early detection at all and others who do not get screening mammograms and clinincal breast exams at regular intervals. National Mammography Day is October 20. Mammography facilities around the country will offer reduced-fee screenings on the 20th and throughout the month of October. To schedule an appointment you must have a physcian's order and call Licking Memorial centralized scheduling at 348-4722.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, other than skin cancer.
It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. The American Cancer Society predicts that there will be about 182,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer in the year 2000 among women in this country and about 40,800 deaths from the disease. Breast cancer also occurs among men, although much less often. Death rates from breast cancer declined significantly during 1992 to 1996, with the largest decrease in younger women- both white and black. This decline is probably the result of better detections and improved treatment.