That is why it's critical that all women do a monthly breast self-exam. Monthly breast self-exam can be especially awkward for older women. Nevertheless, older women can benefit greatly from a mammogram and regular breast self-exams. Breast cancer is only detected 8.7 percent of the time with physical breast examinations, while mammography alone detects about 41.6 percent. A combination of the two has a 50 percent cancer-detection rate.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death for women in Missouri.
While all women are at risk for breast cancer, the chance of getting breast cancer increases with age. More than three-fourths of the breast cancer diagnosed each year occurs in women over 50. In Missouri, nearly 75 percent of women who die from breast cancer are 65 years old or older. For those who do not know how to self-examine, a women's health registered nurse or educator at your local clinic or Department of Health can help. And children and adults can benefit from learning to name their feelings in order to communicate effectively.