What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer

Health     Nicholas English, Content Manager of About.com Health     It can seem like every other day has been given some bizarre significance by a particular group. This past week has since National Coffee Day, National Techies’ Day, and National Chewing Gum Day, all of which closed out a month that was simultaneously Chicken Month and Piano Month. But sometimes, the significance of a particular month truly deserves special attention, and that’s certainly the case with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. More From About.com Health: About.com Health Facebook: About.com Health Follow Us On Twitter   Follow us on:     Why October Matters One in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, and over 230,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2014. This month, information on breast cancer is being emphasized and promoted with the goal of not just reminding people to get regular checkups, but also support breast cancer research with themed products.  READ NOW The 10 Best Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelets Pink Ribbon Roundup: 11 Great Products to Support Breast Cancer Research   Am I Really At Risk for Breast Cancer? It’s true that sometimes, people with no family history of breast cancer shrug off the possibility of contracting it, men can think they’re bulletproof, and young people can think they’ll never get sick or injured by, well, anything. Of course, none of that is true – click the links above to find out why, and always be vigilant about unintentionally increasing your risk.  READ NOW The Role of Stress in Breast Cancer Can Fertility Drugs Cause Cancer?   When a Friend or Family Member Has Breast Cancer Of course, many people – perhaps most people – have had or will have a friend or loved one struggle with the disease. When someone you know has breast cancer, it’s important to do as much as you can to see things from their perspective and avoid any missteps.  READ NOW What Not to Say to Someone With Breast Cancer I Don’t Want to Be Defined By My Breast Cancer   How to Monitor Your Breasts All women should perform a breast self examination (BSE) each month to check for symptoms. It’s also wise to have a professionally administered mammogram each year, particularly if you’re over 40.  READ NOW Video: How to Check for Breast Cancer How to Do a Male Self Breast Exam   ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT More from About.com Sign up for Shareables! An every-morning rundown of the day in history, with headlines and trends produced by your pals at About.com. Click here to sign up! It's free (of course) and we think you'll like it! Want More From About.com? Check out our social channels tailored to every interest! Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Programming newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here. If you would like to unsubscribe from all newsletters sent from About.com, please send an email to optout@about.com with "Unsubscribe" as the subject line. Contact Information: 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY, 10036 © 2014 About.com