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11/11/20, 6:27 PMScreening the key to breast cancer prevention, treatment | Community | newsoforange.com Page 2 of 2https://www.newsoforange.com/community/article_b9a83da0-14b4-11eb-8e13-a3ed26349c17.html It’s often believed that family history is a big factor in the likelihood of being diagnosed with breast cancer. But this is not necessarily so, said Bridges. “Most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history. For women who have a family history of breast cancer, we want to discuss that and it’s good for us to know that so we can determine if they would bene!t from a speci!c, like targeted testing to determine if they have a genetic marker that makes them more of a risk. But the vast number of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer don’t have a genetic history. While it is a risk factor, it’s not the only one.” As far as types of cancer, breast cancer is the most common of new cancer cases in North Carolina, according to 2017 statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, making it more common than lung and colon cancers. It is less deadly than lung cancer, but it still is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the state. While there may not be much di"erence in the number of breast cancer cases, minorities often face a higher mortality rate. “What we unfortunately see sometimes is that breast cancer is diagnosed at a later stage in African American or Latino women,” Bridges said. “If you’re diagnosed at a later stage, or a more advanced stage of breast cancer, that decreases your likelihood of surviving it. Women-of-color should take any breast cancer concerns seriously and take any opportunity for screening. Surgery and surgery with radiation is the most common treatment for breast cancer, if it is caught early enough and before it has spread beyond the breast. If the cancer is a more spread, then chemotherapy can be used. Other treatments include hormonal therapy and targeted therapy. Although there are many layers of treatment for breast cancer, the message health professionals want to make clear is the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the easier the treatment tends to be. For some risk factors, like age and family history, little can be done to decrease the the chance of a cancer diagnosis. But there are steps that can be taken to cut down on other risk factors. “Things you do have control over that are risk factors for breast cancer that someone can alter or change include not being physically active,” Bridges said. “Increasing your physical activity is protective from breast cancer. Being overweight is a risk factor. Keeping your weight to a healthy level is protective. Alcohol can be a risk factor. Hormonal therapy, like post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy that can be useful in certain instances, can also have some risks. That’s worth a discussion with your care provider.” One of the biggest risk factors is for women who are not connected with a health care provider, or are underinsured. One program that the Orange County Health Department participates in is the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program, or the BCCCP, which is a federal and state program with funding to help screen women for breast and cervical cancer who are underinsured or uninsured. The Orange County Health Department participates in the program to help women who may not have a health care provider or be connected to care.