October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (www.nbcam.org), so it’s a good time to give a brief wellness training on this topic. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS – www.cancer.org), more than 200,000 women a year—and 2,000 men—are diagnosed with breast cancer. It makes sense to focus this training on breast cancer in women, but let your male workers know that the ACS website has information for men in its “Detailed Guide: Breast Cancer in Men.”

Researchers don’t know what causes breast cancer, but they have identified several risk factors. The National Cancer Institute (NCI – www.cancer.gov) lists the following factors as increasing the chances of breast cancer. Give employees this list and have them privately check off how many factors apply to them:

• Age—most cases occur after age 60
• Personal history—cancer in one breast increases risk for the other
• Family history—chances increase if mom, sister, or daughter had breast cancer
• Breast changes—certain types of abnormal cells increase risk
• Gene changes—genes include BRCA1 and BRCA2
• Reproductive history—no children or late children increase risk
• Menstrual history—pre-age 12 menstruation and post-55 menopause increase risk
• Race—white women more at risk
• Radiation therapy to chest—before age 30 increases risk
• Breast density—more dense tissue and less fatty increases risk
• Weight—overweight or obese after menopause increases risk
• Activity level—less activity = greater risk
• Alcohol—more alcohol = greater risk

If your workers checked factors that are under their control, e.g., weight, activity level, or alcohol, encourage them to make the changes they need to lower their risk. If they checked factors they can’t control, e.g., age, history, or race, urge them to get regular screenings for early detection—and their best chance for survival.

Regardless of a person’s factors, the good news is that early detection of the disease greatly increases one’s chances for survival. The ACS reports that when breast cancer is detected while it is still localized, which means it hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes, the patient’s 5-year survival rate is a whopping 98%. In fact, the ACS says there are more than 2 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.

Give your employees these ACS-recommended steps:

1. Breast self exams (BSEs)—women in their 20s should begin doing these regularly.
2. Clinical breast exams—women in their 20s and 30s should get these exams every 3 years as part of their physicals, every year when they reach their 40s and beyond.
3. Mammograms—women in their 40s should begin getting these annually.

Why it Matters

• Breast cancer is a fairly common—and highly treatable—disease in women.
• Even men can be diagnosed with breast cancer.
• Early detection and treatment can lead to a 98% 5-year survival rate.
• Giving employees the facts about this common disease can help keep them healthy and productive at work.