October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Doctors recommend that women see their doctors once per year for a checkup after reaching age 40.

The American Cancer Society recommends woomen get into the habit of frequent breast self examinations. Being familiar with their breasts helps women notice any lumps, fluid or changes in size, shape or feel.

It’s even more important that women in their 20s see a doctor for a Clinical Breast Exam every three years and once a year after turning 40. Most doctors recommend annual mammograms for women 40 and older. Higher risk men and women should see their doctors more often.

Many breast cancers will be found in women who never felt a lump, because on average, mammography will detect about 80 to 90 percent of the breast cancers in women without symptoms, said Kristina Thomson, executive vice president, interim, for the American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey.

In New York City, more than 5,100 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, she said. In the state, experts predict 15,570 new cases of breast cancer to be diagnosed this year.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the idea is to educate women and men and to raise money for the cure. Sometimes women are afraid to go see their doctors, but this is the time to do it. Grab a friend and make an appointment. The American Cancer Society works closely with health departments and health care systems to provide free mammograms. Call 1-800-227-2345 for more information.

Developments in the medical field include diagnostic innovations, such as those found at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. The hospital is working on more early-detection procedures that are less invasive.

Improvements in detection, as well as insights into surgical treatment options and their outcomes, have increasingly led to longer, improved lives for women with breast cancer, said Dr. Andrew Seidman, who practices in New York and is part of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.