Keep-A-Breast

So, I was sitting in my office earlier and I put XM radio on. Katy Perry's song "Hot N Cold" was in queue, and the DJ said something that caught my attention. He said that Katy Perry was donating her breasts to help fight breast cancer. So of course, my curiosity got the best of me and I had to stop what I was doing and listen. There's a website called Keep-a-breast.org(!) and their mission statement reads:

The Keep A Breast Foundation™ is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. Our mission is to help eradicate breast cancer by exposing young people to methods of prevention, early detection and support. Through art events, educational programs and fundraising efforts, we seek to increase breast cancer awareness among young people so they are better equipped to make choices and develop habits that will benefit their long-term health and well-being.

How interesting!!! Go and check out the website. Apparently Katy Perry made a mold of her boobs to auction off on Ebay!!! check out the CRAZY artwork and maybe purchase one for a loved one :)

http://www.keep-a-breast.org/index.php

Oh and if you want to watch the video of Katy Perry getting her 32D's molded... here's the link, which is probably NSFW.

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00017942.html

Psychological effects...

While breast cancer has a lot of physical effects on the human body -- loss of hair, fatigue, loss of breast tissue, etc, there are a lot of psychological effects on both the patient and their loved ones.

A diagnosis of breast cancer can be mentally overwhelming. Many thoughts and feelings may cross someone’s mind that knows they have breast cancer, and a diagnosis can cause changes in personal relationships, feelings about one’s body, and worries about life in general. It is therefore important to be mentally equipped to deal with a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Reactions to a diagnosis of breast cancer

A diagnosis of breast cancer can lead to all kinds of emotional turmoil, with feelings of disbelief, shock, despair, helplessness, anger, resentment, and denial.

Lifestyle-related worries are common; people diagnosed with the disease can start to worry about money and their job, as well as becoming more anxious about their future.

Family and friends may also suffer from a range of feelings.

Help is at hand, however, and solutions can be found to help deal with the barrage of emotions that everyone involved may feel.


Coping with anxiety and depression

It is normal for people who are diagnosed with breast cancer to feel anxious and depressed at some point. Although not every person with breast cancer is affected, up to 50% of women will have significant anxiety, depression, or both in the year after they receive a diagnosis of breast cancer. Family and friends may also suffer from anxiety and depression.

Anxiety and worry can be intense, and can manifest as panic attacks, which can be best described as brief but overwhelming episodes of fear. Symptoms of anxiety and fear can be both emotional and physical, and may include:

• restlessness, feeling shaky, or not able to relax;
• feeling out of control or feeling like you are “going crazy”;
• trouble concentrating;
• problems sleeping (insomnia);
• muscle tension and headaches;
• feeling tired more than usual;
• shortness of breath, racing heart, or even chest pains;
• sweating;
• stomach problems such as upset stomach or diarrhea.

These feelings may be present all the time, or they may come and go. It is important to note that some of these symptoms may indicate other conditions or be caused by breast cancer or the treatments used, so be sure to speak to your doctor about them.

Depression is also common among breast cancer patients, and has both emotional and physical symptoms. Some symptoms of depression are:

• ongoing feelings of hopelessness, sadness, or despair;
• feeling guilty or ashamed;
• crying for no reason;
• poor concentration;
• loss of interest in daily activities;
• fatigue and lack of motivation to do anything;
• changes in eating and sleeping habits;
• weight loss or gain;
• aches and pains.

Depression is not a sign of personal failure or lack of willpower. Many people suffer from depression at some point in their lives. In addition, sometimes the cancer itself or the cancer treatments can cause physical changes in your body that may feel similar to depression. So again be sure to speak to your doctor about any symptoms that you may be experiencing.

Thankfully, both anxiety and depression are treatable conditions, and over time, the symptoms of anxiety and depression among breast cancer patients tends to lessen as patients adjust to living with cancer.

Breast cancer affects the entire family

While this is may be very challenging time for you, it is also a difficult time for your partner and other family members. They may react with the same feelings you are experiencing. This may be hard to accept, because you need their support and feel like you don’t have much to give in return. Although there are no easy answers, it can be helpful for family members to share their feelings with each other.

Family members may not be sure how they can help you, so it is up to you to tell them how they can assist. For example, you could assign each member a specific task, such as doing the cooking, taking care of the bills, or making sure children get to school on time. In addition, think of how family members can provide emotional support and enlist their help.

Breast cancer also affects family and friends

Children need special attention

About a third of women with breast cancer have school age children living with them at home. [1] If you have children, you may feel like you want to avoid telling them that you have breast cancer, but most experts agree it’s best to tell children. Even young children can sense when something is upsetting a parent. Younger children may even think they have caused their parent’s distress.

Of course, what you say to them depends on their age and ability to comprehend the situation. If you aren’t sure how to discuss this with them, talk to a counselor, nurse, or your doctor about how to explain your diagnosis to your children – you can contact some of the resources listed at the end of this article, in the “Additional Information” section. In all cases, it’s important to be honest with your children, but also to remain calm, reassuring, and hopeful.

When children learn of your diagnosis, they may feel the same emotions as adult family members. Some children may talk about their feelings, while others won’t want to. In time, they may be more willing to discuss their feelings.

Children may also behave in depressed or anxious ways. For example, they may have trouble in school, not be able to sleep, or get angry easily. If you think your child is having trouble coping, seek help from a counselor or therapist. Children also can benefit from attending support group meetings (see “Additional Information” section)

Help is available

The good news is there are many resources available to help you and your loved ones cope successfully with the emotional impact of breast cancer.

• Tell your doctor, nurse, or social worker about any emotional difficulties you or your family are having. He or she can put you in touch with counselors or other cancer resources that can help you. In addition, your doctor may also prescribe short-term medication that can help with the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
  
• Join a cancer support group. There are many cancer support groups where patients with cancer can offer each other assistance and companionship, and help each other deal with the emotional and practical aspects of living with cancer. There are support groups available specifically for family members and friends of cancer survivors. Support groups may be online only or larger groups of people who arrange local meetings.
  
• Seek counseling. Certain types of counseling, such as cognitive therapy and behavioral interventions are particularly useful in the treatment anxiety and depression. A counselor can also teach you self-help tools to help you manage overwhelming feelings, such as relaxation techniques, guided imagery, or biofeedback, for example.
  
• Contact a cancer organization. A number of organizations exist to help people with breast cancer. They can offer advice and support for you and your loved ones. Their websites are listed in the “Additional Information” section below. Many of these provide helpful information on breast cancer and how to find a cancer support group.

So, what about animals?

This question comes from Gavin, probably one of 3 people that read this .. he asked: Can animals get breast cancer?


And here's your answer....


Breast Cancer- Fifty percent of all breast tumors in dogs and 85% of all breast tumors in cats are malignant. Spaying your pet between 6 and 12 months of age will greatly reduce the risk of breast cancer. Surgery is the treatment of choice for this type of cancer.

Pink everything

Ever wonder who came up with the concept of the pink ribbon for breast cancer? Well, here's the the answer:

The idea of using a ribbon to promote a cause or spread a message was first started in 1979. During this year, Americans were being held hostage in Iran, and their families, friends and soon the whole nation tied yellow ribbons around trees to show their support for freeing the hostages and bringing them home.

In the early 1990s, a 68 year old woman by the name of Charlotte Haley used the same concept when her daughter, grandma and sister were all diagnosed with breast cancer. To raise awareness, she began making ribbons in the color of peach and attaching them to cards. These cards contained information about the annual budget of the National Cancer Institute and how only a small portion of this budget was being spent on cancer research and prevention. The card urged people to contact their legislators to make a change in this and to wear the ribbons to raise awareness.

In 1991, Evelyn Lauder of the Estee' Lauder Corporation and Alexandra Penney of Self Magazine were putting together a special insert piece for the October edition of Self magazine to recognize breast cancer awareness month. They heard about the peach ribbons and contacted Haley to determine if they could use them. Haley declined claiming it would make the cause commercialized, and that it would lose its grassroots appeal. However, Lauder and Penney really wanted to use the ribbon concept, so they consulted with their legal departments to see what they could do. The legal departments finally agreed they could use the ribbons as long as they changed the color. They chose pink, and the breast cancer awareness pink ribbon concept has grown from there.

Think Before You Buy Pink

While I am probably the person most guilty of this, I know a lot of us buy things to support the cause. If you wander around a Target or Bed Bath and Beyond, you might be bombarded by all the Pink items, making the promise to donate a portion of the proceeds to breast cancer research. Heck, even here at the University of South Carolina, the faux Barnes and Noble has said Pink items. So while our hard-earned money is going to breast cancer research, are we really helping to stop the cure?

Breast cancer is the poster child of corporate cause-marketing campaigns: companies try to reinforce their image and boost their bottom line by connecting themselves with the cause. Several companies do this while simultaneously making products that contribute to the disease—a practice BCA has dubbed “pinkwashing.”

Here is a sample of some of the more problematic "pinkwashing" promotions taking place this fall:

Mercedes-Benz is selling a sedan to raise funds for Saks Fifth Avenue’s Key to the Cure, a women’s cancer initiative developed in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women’s Cancer Research Fund. Mercedes-Benz expects to contribute $1 million through the sale of these vehicles. The campaign urges consumers to buy a car, yet pollutants found in car exhaust have been linked to breast cancer.

In 2008, Estee Lauder will donate $500,000 from the sales of its Pink Ribbon Collection of cosmetics to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation in an effort to raise awareness about breast cancer. Meanwhile, the company refuses to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics to ensure that its products do not contain chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of contributing to the disease.

Yoplait’s fall campaign, Save Lids to Save Lives, continues to urge consumers to buy pink-lidded cups of Yoplait yogurt. For each pink lid mailed back to the company by December 31, Yoplait donates ten cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, up to $1.5 million. Sadly, a woman would have to eat three containers of Yoplait every day during the four-month campaign to raise $36 for the cause–and the yogurt is made from cows treated with rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone). There are numerous health concerns, including breast cancer, surrounding the use of rBGH.

Jittery!

Well, as much as I try to cut back on the caffeine, every now and then I like to indulge in the deliciousness known as red bull plus a delightful other thing, but I'll leave that for you all to decide what I'm talking about. So, with that said, researchers have found a link between caffeine and breast cancer:

While caffeine consumption has not been linked to an overall increase in breast cancer

in the general population, a high intake of caffeine may increase the risk of breast cancer in women who have a history of benign, or non-cancerous, breast disease, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School and their colleagues studied detailed dietary information from 38,432 women aged 45 and older who were free of cancer and followed these women for 10 years. They found that, in general, consumption of caffeinated foods and beverages was not associated with an overall risk of breast cancer. However, in women with benign breast disease, there was a borderline significant positive association between breast cancer risk and the highest intake of caffeine.

The researchers also found a link between high caffeine consumption and the risk of developing breast tumors that were either hormone-receptor negative or larger than 2 centimeters. They conclude that their findings indicate that caffeine consumption may affect breast cancer progression, but state that these findings still warrant further study.

Pink Ribbon Philantrophy

How can you make a difference? Why not donate time/ money to Susan G. Komen and/ or Race for the cure? There should be an affiliate in your area (except if you live in Columbia, SC...why am I not surprised) to which you can give back to save the boobs. Or, you can always donate online.

Affiliates

With survivors and activists in 125 cities and communities, more than 100 Komen Race for the Cure® events in the United States and three International Affiliates, Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the most progressive grassroots organization fighting breast cancer today.

Thanks to more than 100,000 survivors and activists dedicated to the fight against breast cancer, the Komen Affiliate Network is the nation's largest private funder of community-based breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment programs.

Up to 75 percent of the net income from each Komen domestic Affiliate is dedicated to fighting breast cancer in that Affiliate's community. Every year, Komen Affiliates award grants to local hospitals and community organizations that provide breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment programs for medically underserved women. Remaining net income (a minimum of 25 percent) supports the Komen Award and Research Grant Program, which funds groundbreaking breast cancer research, meritorious awards and educational and scientific programs around the world.

Hollywood Breast Cancer

So we all know breast cancer does not discriminate against who it actually effects. Here's a list of celebs/famous women who have conquered breast cancer:

Famous Breast Cancer Survivors

Cheryl Crow
Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in late February 2006, soon after her breakup with cancer survivor and cyclist Lance Armstrong.

Betsey Johnson
In 2004, fashion designer and survivor Betsey Johnson designed a tee to support Geralyn Lucas' book "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy" and Courage Nights.

Elizabeth Edwards
Elizabeth Edwards, wife of vice presidential hopeful John Edwards, was diagnosed in 2004. Her book "Saving Graces" was published in September 2006.

Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan got her diagnosis in 1987 after a routine mammogram. A California care facility, the Nancy Reagan Breast Center, is named after her.

Kylie Minogue
Pop star Kylie Minogue (diagnosed in May 2005) has been recording her experiences in a diary and plans to publish them in a book.

Betty Ford
Former first lady Betty Ford, diagnosed in 1974, was one of the first high-profile American women to publicly discuss her mastectomy, more than 30 years ago.

Suzanne Somers
Suzanne Somers, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001, announced her battle with the disease on "Larry King Live."

Christina Applegate
In 2008, Emmy-winning actress Christina Applegate went public about having breast cancer and undergoing a double mastectomy. The star of the sitcom “Samantha Who?” was one of the participants in the September 2008 all-star telethon “Stand Up to Cancer.”

Robin Roberts
“Good Morning America” cohost Robin Roberts revealed in 2007 that she had early form of breast cancer. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy, and returned to “Good Morning America” within a month after her surgery.

Cynthia Nixon
Emmy-winning actress Cynthia Nixon, best-known for her role in “Sex and the City,” quietly battled breast cancer in 2006 by undergoing a lumpectomy and radiation treatment, and she went public about her recovery two years later. Nixon is now an ambassador for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization dedicated to fighting breast cancer.

Lynn Redgrave
Lynn Redgrave was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. The actress and her daughter Annabel Clark chronicled Redgrave's recovery through chemotherapy in the 2004 book “Journal: A Mother and Daughter’s Recovery From Breast Cancer.”

Edie Falco
Sopranos star Edie Falco was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, and secretly battled it.

Melissa Etheridge
Diagnosed in 2004 with breast cancer, Etheridge is doing well.

Gloria Steinem
Activist Steinem discovered a lump in 1986.

Kate Jackson
2 time survivor Kate Jackson battled cancer in 1987 and in 1989. She is recognized as one of the most famous of the "angels" in "Charlie's Angels".

Olivia Newton John
Famous singer and actress was diagnosed 1992, underwent a mastectomy and breast reconstruction.

Richard Rountree
Shaft star is proof that breast cancer affects men, too. Rountree was diagnosed in 1993, had a radical mastectomy and rounds of chemotherapy.

Jaclyn Smith
Charlie's Angels star, Smith discovered a lump in 2002. Treatment included a lumpectomy and radiation.

Rue McClanahan
Star of the hit sitcom "Golden Girls, Rue McClanahan became a survivor in 1997, after finding a pea sized lump in her breast.

Linda Ellerbee
Journalist and now survivor, Ellerbee found a lump in 1991 and treated with a bi-lateral mastectomy.

Jill Eikenberry
L.A Law star discovered a lump in 1986 and chose a lumpectomy for treatment.

Ann Jillian
Actress turned motivational speaker, tours recounting her journey with breast cancer.

Sandra Day O’Connor

Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor battled breast cancer in 1982. She was treated with a mastectomy, and returned to work 6 days later.

Measuring your Boobs!

Sorry for the delay in blogs. I'm glad some of you actually read this thing!

So.. let's talk about measuring boobs for bras. I used to work in the bra business and had a knack for eyeballing boob sizes. Yes, you read that right... I was able to tell a woman's ( and sometimes a man's) bra size just by looking. The easiest part was the strap, and the cup could be tricky, depending on what type it was: underwire, wire, gel pads, water, or lining. SO! Here's a DIY measuring guide!

Step 1, Measure for Band Size: Need help? Expanded band measuring instructions.

Keeping the measuring tape parallel with the ground, measure around your bra directly under your bust after expelling all air from your lungs - you want this measurement to be as small as possible. Round all fractional measurements to the nearest whole number. If the measurement is even, add 4" if the measurement is odd, add 5"

Step 2, Measure for Cup Size: Need help? Expanded cup measuring instructions.

Standing straight, with your arms at your side, measure at the fullest part of your bust (while wearing a non-padded bra) making sure the measuring tape is parallel with the ground and not binding. Round all fractional measurements to the nearest whole number.

Step 3, Calculate Your Bra Size:

Subtract your band measurement (step 1) from your cup measurement (step 2). Generally, for each inch in difference, the cup goes up by one size. See the conversion chart here. Example: Step 1: 34" under measurement +4" = 38" band Step 2: 40" over measurement Step 3: 40" - 38" = 2" or Cup "B" Your size would be 38B Important Note: this measuring system tends to become less accurate as the cup sizes go above a D. Additionally, some manufacturers name larger cup sizes differently. See "The Proper Measuring Techniques for Plus-Size Women".

Mammovan.... vrooooooooooom

Last year, my fantastic Mentee, Mallory, had the great opportunity of working on a fantastic project through the GW Planned Giving Program. Avon gave GW some massive amount of money to create the GW Mammovan. The GW Mammovan travels to the worst of the worst parts of DC, offering free mammograms to women who need them.

Read more:

The GW Cancer Institute received a $500,000 grant from the Avon Foundation that will support breast cancer outreach, education and screening services in the DC community. GW Cancer Institute Executive Director, Steven Patierno, PhD, accepted a check on May 4, as part of the Avon Walk DC Closing Ceremony.

The Foundation’s support for breast cancer services is critical because it will address the fact that DC has nearly the highest breast cancer mortality rate in the country. Actress Reese Witherspoon, honorary chair of the Avon Foundation, presented the check to Patierno and six other area organizations designated to receive funding from the Avon Foundation. This is the largest grant the Avon Foundation has awarded to GW.

The Avon grant will enable GW to deploy the GW Mammovan, a mobile mammography unit, equipped with state-of-the-art digital mammography technology, to medically underserved areas of the District, including Anacostia, a quadrant of our city that currently has no mammographic facilities. The GW Mammovan will reach women who have very little access to mammography, outreach and breast cancer education. The Avon Foundation’s executive director for Breast Cancer Crusade, Marc Hurlbert, PhD, attended the Fifth Annual Cancer Gala on Saturday, May 3, at the National Building Museum to announce that the grant had been awarded.

“We are pleased to be a recipient of this grant from the Avon Foundation. It will enable GW to provide a critical service to those in our city, who are in need. It is our hope that we can help to lower the breast cancer mortality rate in our city and deliver services that will detect breast cancer at an earlier stage, in women who live in our own backyard,” said John F. Williams, MD, EdD, MPH, Provost and Vice President for Health Affairs, GW Medical Center.

The Avon grant will also support the work of the GW Cancer Institute to create a network of business and faith-based community partnerships that will facilitate culturally competent outreach specialists to work with members of the community to provide educational materials and patient navigation. Additionally, it will enable the establishment of an Avon Imaging Fellowship that will provide training and experience for a Radiology/ Mammography Fellow in community-based medicine.

Let's get personal

So, I guess I never put my feelings out there toward breast cancer. I think on any level it's a pretty shitty situation... with any cancer in general. Back in 2003 for my creative non-fiction class, we were asked to write a personal narrative. This basically mean anything goes and the only requirement was that you had to live the experience. For some of my peers, that was like pulling teeth, but for me , and since most of my papers at that point had to do with anything NJ, it was easy. I knew I was going to write about something awesome that only 4 people got to experience: me, my brother, my mom, and my girl Alison ( you know what I'm talking about, right).

So I was going to post excerpts from my paper in this blog, but I'm not G33k3y enough to do HTML. So please excuse my lack of N312D -n355, and I will try to post it later.

It's really well written,s o I know yous guys will enjoy it.

Real or Fake?

I have no idea why I want to talk about breast implants, but since it has to do with boobs, I might as well.

So here are some fascinating tidbits of information:

Breast implants give you more control over your size, shape, and profile. Implant plastic surgery can improve appearance after aging and childbearing and can restore a more youthful appearance.

(Note that sagging breasts require a breast lift, which can be performed with or without implants.)

In breast augmentation with implants (augmentation mammoplasty), the implants are inserted behind breast tissue or above the breast muscle. Implants range in volume from 120 mL (milliliters) to 850 mL.

In addition to the volume range, implants vary in shape, profile, outer thickness, and outer surface layer.

Silicone Implants

Some women feel that silicone implants are smoother and softer than saline-filled implants. These implants feel like a semisolid gel. Because of their smooth surface, silicone implants are often preferable for women who have little breast tissue, particularly for women undergoing breast reconstruction.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed silicone implants from the general consumer market in 1992 as a precautionary measure over conflicting reports of possible complications. However, they were reapproved in 2005. Some new types of implants are under development, including silicone implants, that attempt to simulate the smooth feel of the breast.

Options under development include cohesive silicone gel implants — also called "gummy bear" implants — and saline implants that allow implant volume to be adjusted after surgery. Cohesive implants are currently under FDA review. They are claimed to hold their shape better than saline or older silicone gel implants and look and feel more natural. The gummy consistency decreases the likelihood of rippling and should provide greater safety because, being more solid, the silicone will tend not to escape from the shell if it were to rupture.

Silicone Shells for Both Saline and Silicone Implants

Both silicone and saline implants have an outer shell made of silicone-rubber material. But when someone refers to a "silicone breast implant," they mean the filler of the implant, not the shell. The two types of implants used in the United States are:

• saline filled, silicone-rubber shell
• silicone gel-filled, silicone-rubber shell

Currently, the use of silicone gel-filled implants is limited to patients requiring reconstructive or revision breast surgery.

Generally, the silicone-rubber shell is made of:

• Cured long strands of silicones
• Approximately 20 percent finely powdered silica tightly bound to the silicone polymers
• Small amounts of other materials

Risky Business

There have been many theories as to how women develop breast cancer. My mother claims that she developed it because of environmental reasons(insert dirty jersey joke here). But according to the Susan G. Komen website, age is a major factor. Take a look:

A woman’s chance of getting
breast cancer increases with
age. Your chance by your
current age is:
age 20 1 in 1,837
age 30 1 in 234
age 40 1 in 70
age 50 1 in 40
age 60 1 in 28
age 70 1 in 26
Lifetime 1 in 8
Source: American Cancer Society
Breast Cancer Facts and Figures
2007-2008

Scary, eh? But here are some other factors that could put you or a loved one at potential risk for breast cancer:

• being a woman (duh)

• getting older — the older you get, the greater your

risk of breast cancer
• having an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 or
BRCA2 breast cancer genes
• having a previous biopsy showing hyperplasia or
carcinoma in situ
• a family history of breast cancer ( another duh)
• having high breast density on a mammogram
• being exposed to large amounts of radiation, such as
having very frequent spine X-rays for scoliosis or
treatment for Hodgkin’s disease at a young age
• a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer
• starting menopause after age 55
• never having children
• having your first child after age 35
• high bone density
• being overweight after menopause or gaining weight
as an adult
• having more than one drink of alcohol per day
• currently or recently using combined estrogen and
progesterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• being younger than 12 at the time of your first period
• current or recent use of birth control pills

I've highlighted the ones that I think are most significant to females my age. I always err on the side of caution when messing with hormones and I don't think a lot of women realize the potential danger to using birth control. And yes, I totally understand some people use it for medical reasons, but, I think maybe we forget that we are playing with hormones, which could end in potentially bad results.

I think we also often forget how being overweight not only affects our physical appearance, but also our internal systems. So ladies, let's all make the extra effort to take off the lbs. so we can have happier, healthier lives :)

Men

Have you ever heard of a man having breast cancer? Well truth be told it does happen, although it is rare, men can still be diagnosed with the disease.


Less than 1% of all breast cancers occur in men. In 2005, when 211,400 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States, 1,690 men were diagnosed with the disease.

A number of factors can increase a man's risk of getting breast cancer:

• Growing older: This is the biggest factor. Just as is the case for women, risk increases as age increases. The median age of men diagnosed with breast cancer is about 67. This means that half the men who are diagnosed are over 67 and half are under.
• High estrogen levels: Breast cell growth — both normal and abnormal — is stimulated by the presence of estrogen. Men can have high estrogen levels as a result of:
  • taking hormonal medicines
  • being overweight, which increases the production of estrogen
  • having been exposed to estrogens in the environment (such as estrogen and other hormones fed to fatten up beef cattle, or the breakdown products of the pesticide DDT, which can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body)
  • being heavy users of alcohol, which can limit the liver's ability to regulate blood estrogen levels
  • having liver disease, which usually leads to lower levels of androgens (male hormones) and higher levels of estrogen (female hormones). This increases the risk of developing gynecomastia (breast tissue growth that is non-cancerous) as well as breast cancer.
• Klinefelter syndrome: Men with Klinefelter syndrome have lower levels of androgens (male hormones) and higher levels of estrogen (female hormones). Therefore, they have a higher risk of developing gynecomastia (breast tissue growth that is non-cancerous) and breast cancer. Klinefelter syndrome is a condition present at birth that affects about 1 in 1,000 men. Normally men have a single X and single Y chromosome. Men with Klinefelter syndrome have more than one X chromosome (sometimes as many as four). Symptoms of Klinefelter syndrome include having longer legs, a higher voice, and a thinner beard than average men; having smaller than normal testicles; and being infertile (unable to produce sperm).
• A strong family history of breast cancer or genetic alterations: Family history can increase the risk of breast cancer in men — particularly if other men in the family have had breast cancer. The risk is also higher if there is a proven breast cancer gene abnormality in the family. Men who inherit abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes (BR stands for BReast, and CA stands for CAncer) have an increased risk for male breast cancer. This risk of developing breast cancer by age 70 is approximately 1% with the BRCA1 gene and 6% with the BRCA2 gene. Overall, that's about 80 times greater than the lifetime risk of men without BRCA1 or BRCA2 abnormalities. Still, the majority of male breast cancers happen in men who have no family history of breast cancer and no inherited gene abnormality.
• Radiation exposure: Having radiation therapy to the chest before age 30, and particularly during adolescence, may increase the risk of developing breast cancer. This has been seen in young people receiving radiation to treat Hodgkin's disease. (This does NOT include radiation therapy to treat breast cancer.)

the droop...

So, I clearly remember having this conversation with Gavin in the car the other day... and I mentioned the term, "Cooper's Droop"... aka.. sagging boobs. So to better inform you of what this is... take a look:

"As the years go by, breasts become less glandular and fattier, which makes them less firm. Another factor is the stretching of fibrous bands in the breast called Cooper's ligaments. "They're fibrous tissue that holds the breast up a bit, and those can stretch over time and that leads to some of the sagging, too"

Cooper's ligaments + sagging = Cooper's droop

Fatty tissue represents the bulk of the breast. It surrounds the glandular tissue

Lobes produce milk and communicate to the nipple surface via lactiferous ducts and sinuses. There are about 15-20 lobes in one breast.

Fibrous bands (Cooper's ligaments) extend from under the skin and attach to the underlying muscle, supporting the glandular tissue

The glandular, fibrous, and fatty components of breast tissue vary with such factors as age, stateof nutrition, and pregnancy

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

So it's October 1, which means it's the start of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While I am a big advocate for healthy boobs, this month hits close to home. In summer/fall of 2001, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was pretty extreme and it was a hard time for my entire family. Luckily she had(and still does) a rockin' oncologist and the drive to overcome this horrible disease and won. She is awesome, she is my mom :)

So with that said, I would like to honor this month of boobage by having some fact about breast cancer, breast health and whatever other topics fall under this category.

So look for an update each day (and maybe one for the weekends) and learn something!

So let's start off with a stat:

"An estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among women in the United States during 2008"- Susan G. Komen website