When former first lady Betty Ford announced in 1974 she had breast cancer and had endured a mastectomy, she shook the nation. In the 1990s, we now have a tremendous support system for women who must face the disease, and there are more dollars for research. Today, finding the causes and a cure for the disease are a national priority. Reality One in eight women living in the U.S. to age 95 or older will develop breast cancer. In part, the percentage is high because women are living longer, and the chance of developing breast cancer increases dramatically with age.
Early detection offers a greater chance of survival and provides the most treatment options.
Statistics from the National Cancer Institute support the importance of conducting monthly breast self-exams. For example, the Institute reports about 70 percent of all lumps are found without the aid of medical technology, by women conducting BSEs. The Institute also indicates the five-year survival rate is more than 95 percent when cancer is detected early and confined to the breast. In August 1997, she celebrated her 50th birthday and a five-year anniversary as a breast cancer survivor. When Maryellen found a lump in her left breast in 1992, she made an appointment to see the doctor immediately.