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12 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday October 25, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Sincere hanks Sincere th k t all Sincere thanks to all our advertisers f cere han ere ad ti ad isers for fo supporting Breast Cancer research Awareness and early detection are key in the battle against this deadly disease October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to focus on the scope of this forminable disease, educate women about prevention, and work toward finding a cure for finding a cure. Here are just a few of the fright-ening numbers assosciated with the disease*: · An estimated 22,300 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 - and 5,300 will die of it. · 1 out of 9 women is expected to develop the disease during her lifetime. One in 27 will die of it. · An estimated 170 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 50 will die of it. · 52% of breast cancer deaths occur in women aged 70 and older. ENCOURAGING NEWS ·Breast cancer mortality rates have declined by 25% since 1986. · Incidence rates have stabilized since 1999. · The 5-year relative survival rate is 86%. EARLY DETECTION OF BREAST CANCER CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE Many women are alive and well today because their breast cancer was detected and treated early. "While it's important for women to know what's normal for their breasts so they can report changes to their doctor, mammography and clinical breast exams are the most reliable methods of finding breast cancer," says Patti Payne, senior advisor of prevention at the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario Division. The Society recommends that all women between 50 and 69 have a mammogram and a clinical breast exam every two years. Furthermore, women 40 and over should have a clinical breast exam every two years and talk to their doctor about mammography and their breast cancer risk; and women 70 and over should talk to their doctor about how often they should be tested for breast cancer. More information is available from the Canadian Cancer Society Cancer Information Service, at 1 888 939-3333, or online at www.cancer.ca. RESEARCH SHOWS MANY WOMEN NOT ADHERING TO BREAST CANCER THERAPY Advancements in breast cancer treatments mean more Canadian women are surviving breast can-cer than ever before. But new research has found that many women may be compromising their health by not taking their breast cancer treatment correctly, or stopping it all together before the full five-year course of therapy is completed. A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that approximately one in four women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer stopped taking their anti-estrogen treatment during the first year, and after three years nearly half discontinued their therapy. Dr. Susan Dent, a medical oncologist at the Ottawa Hospital Regional Cancer Center has done her own research in this field and is concerned. "It is very important that women continue to take their breast can-cer medication as prescribed. If they stop early, they may decrease the effectiveness of the treatment, which can negatively affect long-term health," says Dr. Dent. "In fact, it has recently been shown that treatments such as anastrozole, an anti-estrogen therapy, continue to work for years after treatment is completed, which is all the more reason women should take their therapy as prescribed. "According to Dr. Dent's research, the most common reason women stop their anti-estrogen therapy is muscle aches and bone pain. But she maintains that an open and ongoing dialogue between the patient and medical oncologist can go a long way towards overcoming side effects, helping women stay on treatment, and minimizing the risk of recurrence. HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROGRAMS KEY TO MANAGING BREAST HEALTH After completing active treat-ment for breast cancer, women may need to consider a number of important lifestyle changes to optimize their health and lower the risk of recurrence. At the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre, one of Canada's most prominent treatment facilities at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, a new program is helping women do just that. Led by Nurse Clinician Linda Muraca, the Taking Charge: Healthy LIFEstyle Choices for Women after Breast Cancer pro-gram includes innovative sessions to educate women about healthier diet and physical activity choices and their impact on breast cancer recurrence. "It appears that the balance of energy intake (diet) and energy output (physical activity) is dis-rupted in the period after a breast cancer diagnosis," says Muraca. "The goal of the Taking Charge program is to teach women how to reach or maintain a healthy weight by making appropriate lifestyle choices. Improving breast cancer survivors' overall general health by losing weight may have a positive impact on recurrence. "In addition to nutrition and physical activity, women usually want to focus on goal setting, and appear to benefit from a peer-sup-port group during the program.While lifestyle modification dis-cussions are essential for women with breast cancer, another important aspect is reducing the risk of developing breast cancer. Community-based initiatives such as the AstraZeneca Breast Health Program educate women without breast cancer on how to man-age their risk. Nutritional strate-gies to promote breast health are also provided and commonly asked questions and myths are addressed. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the program has helped thousands of women, and has been recognized as a Leading Practice. ­ News Canada *Canadian Cancer Society/National Cancer Institute C of Canada: Canadian Cancer Statistics 2007, PATRICIA BOWLES 466 Speers Rd., 3rd Floor, Oakville, Ontario L6K 3W9 Tel: (905) 849-9987 Fax: (905) 849-9947 patricia@baldwinbusinesscentre.com www.baldwinbusinesscentre.com Every woman should get checked! 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