Breast Cancer Awareness
You’re not fighting breast cancer alone. At Broward Health, we’re committed to raising awareness and preventing breast cancer in our community and beyond.
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer can affect anyone. Understanding your risk factors and symptoms, as well as getting screened, can help find cancer when it’s still early and most treatable. At Broward Health, we’re here to help you through this journey. With the latest mammogram technology in South Florida and a foundation dedicated to caring for women in our community, we’re committed to raising awareness to help you find, treat and prevent breast cancer.
Learn More About Our Women’s Health Services
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 300,000 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer every year, with more than 40,000 breast cancer deaths. Diagnosing and treating cancer early is crucial in the fight against breast cancer. That includes knowing your risk and getting screened early.
While some risk factors, like testing positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, are out of your control, others - drinking too much alcohol and eating a diet of highly processed foods - can increase your likelihood of developing breast cancer.
Breast cancer screening, including mammograms, should start at age 40. Make sure to speak with your primary care provider to learn if you should start earlier based on your medical history.
Let your provider know if there’s a change in your body, like nipple inversion, skin changes, unhealing sores or nipple discharge, which may be an early sign of breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors:
- Alcohol Consumption
- Being BRCA1 or BRCA2
- Elevated Body Mass Index
- High Soy-Based Diets
- Never having given Birth or Breastfed
When to Screen
If you’re at average risk for breast cancer – no elevated risk factors, negative for BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes – speak with your primary care doctor about when to start screening and which tests are right for you. Ideally, clinical breast exams should happen every three years starting at age 20. We encourage you to start your annual mammogram at age 40.
For women and men with increased breast cancer risk factors - positive BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutations, dense breast tissue, family history - ask your doctor about starting screenings earlier. Depending on your unique risks, screenings may need to begin earlier than 40 or occur more frequently.
Help the Community
Help us fight breast cancer and support our crucial work in the community. Donate to the Broward Health Foundation, an independent nonprofit that backs our work across South Florida, and support breast cancer care and other medical services at Broward Health.
Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Fund
