Each year more than 180,000 women in this country learn they have breast cancer. Not all women are equally vulnerable to breast cancer. The most important contributors in determining the risk factor are age, family history and reproductive history. The odds of developing breast cancer increase with age, if an immediate family member was diagnosed with the disease and if early menstruation or late menopause are present in family health history. It is important to administer self-examinations on a consistent basis, because with early detection, breast cancer patients have a 95 percent chance of survival.
Race is another factor of increased risk.
NCI findings have shown that breast cancer mortality trends for Caucasian women in the United States have improved markedly in the 1990s as compared to the 1980s. For African American women, however, increases in mortality persist, especially among older women, but the overall increase for all races has slowed significantly. In response to this finding the government promised increased future involvement. The Clinton Administration will keep pursuing every opportunity for prevention, early detection and treatment and an effective research agenda to fight breast cancer. Next week's event hopes to continue to develop the public's awareness of breast cancer and its effects.