Victims and survivors of breast cancer

One of the most prevalent types of cancer among women worldwide is breast cancer. It is reported that options for treatment depend on the cancer's nature and stage. 

The month of October has been designated as the “Pink Month” as part of a global campaign to increase awareness of breast cancer. Pink Month is a time when initiatives are made to inform those who are worried about the disease, including early detection and signs and symptoms of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society and Imperial Chemical Industries launched a week-long awareness campaign in 1985, and this eventually turned into a month-long occasion. The pink ribbon was first used in 1992.

About one in three incident cancer cases in females is breast cancer. In Singapore, breast cancer is the main cause of death. Except for skin cancers, breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women in the US, as 30% (or 1 in 3) of all new cases of female cancer each year are caused by it. Women in their middle years and older tend to develop breast cancer. At the time of breast cancer diagnosis, the average age is 62. As a result, 62 years of age or younger is the average age at which breast cancer in women is discovered. Women under 45 who have been diagnosed with breast cancer are extremely rare, according to American Cancer Society. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that breast cancer may have combinations of symptoms, especially when it is more advanced. When cancer is still in its early stages, the majority of patients do not exhibit any symptoms. Breast cancer symptoms may include a breast lump or thickening, typically without pain; a change in the size, shape, or appearance of the breast; dimpling, redness, pitting, or other skin changes; and a change in the appearance of the nipple or the skin surrounding the nipple. 

The type of breast cancer and its spread—to lymph nodes (stages II or III) or to other areas of the body (stage IV)—determine the course of treatment. To reduce the likelihood of a cancer recurrence, doctors combine their treatments. These consist of medication to kill cancer cells and stop their spread, such as hormone treatments, chemotherapy, targeted biological therapies, surgery to remove the breast tumor, or radiation therapy to lower the chance of recurrence in the breast and surrounding tissues, according to WHO. 

There are many celebrities worldwide who have been victims of breast cancer. Sheryl Crow, a rock star and nine-time Grammy Award winner, was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive form of breast cancer, when she was 44 years old. Later, she was confirmed to be cancer-free following a lumpectomy and seven weeks of radiation treatment, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. 

During a breast self-exam in 2007, Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts found a lump. The more dangerous triple-negative variety of breast cancer was identified with an ultrasound and biopsy. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and a lumpectomy were used as treatments. She was public about her struggle with the disease.

According to Everyday Health, men can also develop breast cancer. Over 2,200 males are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, compared to more than 245,000 women, making men the minority of breast cancer diagnoses. Mathew Knowles, father of celebrity singers Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Knowles stated that he noticed several blood stains on his shirt. His mammography revealed that he had breast cancer. Since then, Knowles has discovered that he bears the BRCA2 gene mutation, which raises risk for ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, and breast cancers.