Picture the last time you were at a gathering with a big group of people. Now consider this: if there were eight women in that room, odds are that one of those women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

It’s an eye-opening number. And October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is a good time to educate yourself on the risks of breast cancer and take preventive actions to lower any risks you can. This month, as organizations everywhere tie the pink ribbon, here are some things to consider.  

Breast cancer ranks among the top cancers impacting women.

Behind skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in females, accounting for nearly one in three cancer diagnoses for females each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is also the second-leading cause of cancer death for women, following lung cancer. 

For many, deaths from breast cancer have decreased in the last few decades.

Between 1989 and 2020, the death rate from breast cancer has declined 43%, according to the American Cancer Society. In part, this is thought to be related to an increase in earlier diagnoses thanks to better awareness and more screenings. That’s why it’s important that all people at risk for breast cancer talk to their doctor about any concerns, and discuss when and where to schedule a screening. Especially if you delayed routine medical care and screenings during the pandemic, as many people did.

But the death rates haven’t declined equally for all races and ethnicities.

People from Black and American Indian backgrounds face higher risks of death when it comes to breast cancer. Despite decades of declines in death rates for white people and other groups, the death rates for Black people and American Indian/Alaska Native people has remained the same.  So, even though Black people have a 4% lower rate of breast cancer incidents than white people, their death rate from breast cancer is 40% higher than their white counterparts, according to the American Cancer Society.  

Some risk factors for breast cancer are unavoidable.

Simply being a woman, or a person assigned female at birth, is one of the biggest risk factors for developing breast cancer; so is getting older, because most diagnoses occur after age 50. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the following risk factors:  

• Genetic mutations. If you know you’ve inherited certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, talk to your doctor about it. You are at higher risk of developing breast cancer as well as ovarian cancer.
• Your personal reproductive history. If you started menstruating before age 12 and began menopause after age 55, you may have a higher risk of breast cancer, because of a longer exposure to hormones.
• The density of your breasts. People with dense breast tissue may have a higher risk of breast cancer because it can be more challenging to detect potential cancer during a mammogram.
• Your personal medical history and your family’s health history. People who have already had breast cancer are more likely to get a future diagnosis. In addition, certain breast conditions (such as atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ) may be associated with a higher risk. If you have a mother, daughter or sister who has had breast cancer, your risk is also higher.

Other risk factors are things that you can control.

The healthy or not-so-healthy choices you make in your day-to-day life also play a role in your risk for developing certain cancers, including breast cancer. That includes the foods you eat, your activity levels and certain habits you may have developed. Here are some of those choices you can try to control, which may in turn lower your risk, according to the American Cancer Society.

• Avoid alcohol, or at least limit how much you drink. Alcohol increases your risk for certain types of cancer, including breast cancer. And the more you drink, the higher your risk. The American Cancer Society notes that women who drink one alcoholic beverage a day have a 7 to 10% increase in risk, and those who have two to three drinks a day have a 20% higher risk. 
• Watch your weight. The relationship between weight and breast cancer is somewhat complicated. For example, being overweight or obese after menopause can increase a woman’s risk for a certain type of breast cancer, because estrogen can be produced by fat tissue, even after the ovaries stop making estrogen. On the other hand, being overweight before menopause may raise the risk of another type of breast cancer. You can read more about this on the American Cancer Society’s website; it can also help to talk to your doctor about your personal risk factors.
• Up your activity level. Research has shown that physical activity may decrease the risk for breast cancer. Follow the physical activity guidelines and aim to be active for at least 150 minutes per week doing moderate-intensity workouts and two days of strength exercises. This may be especially important after menopause, so don’t let your workouts lag with age.
• Things to consider with having children, breastfeeding and hormones. First, the mere act of having a child may lower your risk of developing breast cancer, and breastfeeding may also lower the risk if you do it for a year or more. In addition, certain birth control methods that use hormones may increase your risk; the same goes for menopause hormone therapy. However, as with all health decisions, it’s important to weigh the pros and the cons and talk to your doctor about what’s best for you.

Regular screenings may be the best defense against breast cancer.

Detecting cancer early can improve a person’s outlook. During a mammogram, X-ray images are taken of the breasts that can pinpoint any abnormalities. If anything suspicious is detected, a doctor can order additional tests and, if needed, begin treatment quickly. When breast cancer is found early, before it has had the chance to spread, the five-year survival rate is about 99 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.

Talk to your doctor about when to get screened for breast cancer. The American Cancer Society created guidelines aimed at women who face an average risk of breast cancer, and those recommendations state that women between 40 and 44 should consider a mammogram every year; women 45 to 54 should get mammograms annually; and women 55 and older can choose to get mammograms annually or switch to every other year, as long as they are in good health. Women who face a higher risk of developing cancer should get a mammogram and breast MRI every year starting at age 30, according to the American Cancer Society. They should also speak with their doctor about their risks, their concerns and their plan for prevention.

While it’s true that nearly one out of eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, seven out of eight won’t. It’s important not to live your life in fear. Rather, control what you can control, make healthy choices when you’re able, book your regular checkups and screenings and if something doesn’t feel right, speak up.