MHT AND BREAST CANCER
Understanding the facts
In Australia, 55 women a day are diagnosed with breast cancer. The average age at diagnosis is 61 years. The majority of new cases of breast cancer (79%) develop in the over-50 age group. All women are at risk of breast cancer, even some men and this risk increases with age. The majority of breast cancer is sporadic (90–95%) and not related to your genetic makeup. However, if you have two or more blood relatives (on either your father's or mother’s side) who have had breast cancer, you have an increased risk of developing breast cancer, possibly due to an inherited breast cancer gene. Your risk is further increased if those family members were younger than 50 at the time of the diagnosis.
Mammography remains the only recognised screening tool for breast cancer. Women who have dense breast tissue, as reported by the mammogram, may require further evaluation of their breasts.
"
Breast cancer mortality rates have fallen 30% in the past 20 years.
It is important that you check your breasts for any changes on a regular basis, for example, once a month in the shower. The breast tissue extends into the axilla (armpit), so it is worth placing your arm behind your head and checking there as well. Signs to look for, apart from a lump, include changes to the size and shape of the breast, nipple inversion or discharge, skin redness or dimpling, and an unusual pain that doesn’t go away.
It is good to note that breast cancer mortality rates (deaths) have fallen by 30% in the past 20 years. Patients with an inherited breast cancer gene, such as BRCA mutation carriers, without a history of breast cancer, may also use MHT to improve their quality of life.