Staying on top of exams that you should have at certain ages and being aware of your personal risks may help save your life. Some cancers, such as breast cancer, can be stopped in their tracks with prevention and screening.

Breast cancer causes more deaths in women than any other cancer besides lung cancer. However, the death rate from breast cancer in women ages 40 and older has decreased significantly in the past 20 years, primarily due to the effectiveness of screening mammograms. Women older than age 65 have an increased risk for breast cancer, as do women with these risk factors:

• A family history of the disease, especially in close relatives, such as their mother, daughter, or sister
• Possessing the mutation of a specific gene that can cause cancer
• Early puberty (before age 12) or late menopause (after age 55)
• Not having children until after age 30, or not at all
• Obesity

Steps for preventing breast cancer include maintaining a healthy weight with a balanced diet and regular exercise, conducting routine breast self-exams, and getting annual clinical breast exams. Women should have a mammography every one to two years starting at age 40 and annually starting at age 50.

Join Us for a Free Cancer Lecture
Live healthier and learn about cancer at a free lecture in April. We’ll also give away free tip sheets on foods that may help prevent cancer. Visit www.paramounthealthcare.com and click on “Healthy Sylvania 2010” for the date and time.