5th Annual Black Women & Breast Cancer: Knowledge is Power Conference

For more information, please visit the following link: http://www.umsl.edu/~pcs/noncredit-offerings/bwbc.html.  

The second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. is breast cancer. While deaths from breast cancer are decreasing, black women are still more likely to die of breast cancer than other women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that several factors contribute to this difference: 

• Black women often have cancers that grow faster and are harder to treat • Black women often have fewer resources 
• Black women are less likely to get follow-up care when their mammograms show something that isn’t normal 
• Black women are less likely to get high-quality treatment (cdc.gov) 

There are some simple things you can do every day to lower your risk of breast cancer. Be physically active, eat healthy foods, stay at a healthy weight, and avoid smoking or using tobacco products. The CDC recommends you do these three things: 

1. Get your mammograms regularly. Get a mammogram every two years if you are between the ages of 50 and 74 years. If you are 40 to 49 years old, talk to your doctor about whether or not you should have a mammogram, when, and how often.

2. Know your family history of breast cancer. Talk to your doctor if you have a parent, sister or brother, or child with breast cancer as you may have a higher risk of breast cancer.

3. Learn about hormone replacement therapy. Some women with menopause use hormone replacement therapy to treat the symptoms. Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits before deciding if it is right for you. (cdc.gov)