Breast cancer is a form of cancer in which cells in the breast grow out of control. There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer.

Breast cancer screenings are meant to check your breasts for cancer before there are signs or symptoms of the disease. Although breast cancer screenings cannot prevent breast cancer, they can help find it early when it is easier to treat.

Local facts about breast cancer

• Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Ohio.
• Breast cancer ranks as the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Ohio after lung cancer.
• Breast cancer accounted for 14 percent of all cancer-related deaths in Ohio from 2015-2019. An average of 1,743 deaths from breast cancer occurred each year in Ohio during this period.
• Ohio’s female breast cancer mortality rate of 21.6 per 100,000 was 9 percent higher than the U.S. rate of 19.9 per 100,000. In Ohio, the female breast cancer mortality rate was highest among Black women.

What can you do to prevent breast cancer?

Screening

• Get screenings for breast cancer and attend annual physical exams with your.
• Get familiar with how your breasts look and feel. This can help you notice symptoms such as lumps, pain or changes in size that may be of concern. These could include changes found during a breast self-exam. You should report any changes that you notice to your doctor or health care provider.

Healthy choices

• Many factors over the course of a lifetime can influence your breast cancer risk. You can’t change some factors, such as getting older or your family history, but you can help lower your risk of breast cancer by taking care of your health in the following ways:
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Be physically active.
• Choose not to drink alcohol, or drink alcohol in moderation.

Sources:
https://ohiocancerpartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Breast-Cancer-in-Ohio-2022-Final.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/prevention.htm