My good friend and angel, Lori, sent me the book Bosom buddies by Rosie O'Donnell and Deborah Axelrod, M.D.  Throughout this book there are several passages, sentences, etc. that I found quite interesting.  I'd like to share them with you.

"No one is immune to this disease, we must all become educated, armed with information that will allow us to catch cancer early; to use screening test optimally; to know our bodies when we're healthy so we can recognize worrisome changes and to understand what puts us at greater risk of getting breast cancer."

"Breast cancer remains by far the most common cancer among women worldwide and the leading cause of death in American women aged forty to fifty-nine."

"Despite the many myths about what raises risk, the majority of women have no identifiable risk factors and 90% have no significant family history of the disease....
No one is immune to this disease."

Risk of Dying from Breast Cancer Per 100,000 Women Caucasians:  26 African Americans:  31.5 Hispanics:  15.3 Asian/Pacific Islanders:  11.6 Native Americans:  11.7

The incidence of breast cancer increases with age-however, breast cancer is every woman's disease.  1/4 of all women who get breast cancer are under 50.  However, in the African American populations, more than 1/3 of all women with breast cancer are under the age of 50.  Of all breast cancer cases, her is the % breakdown by age. Under 30:  0.3% 30-39:  4.8% 40-49:  18.1% 50-59:  18.3% 60-60:  20.3% 70-79:  24.2% Over 80:  14%

"The United States has the dubious distinction of leading the world in breast cancer incidence." 

"...why is there significantly less breast cancer in Japan? If we knew the answer for sure, we might have a powerful clue as to how to reduce the incidence everywhere else in the world....One hypothesis centers around diet.  Japanese women tend to eat significantly less fat than American women do, and they also eat a relatively large quantity of estrogenic plant-based foods, like soy."

"Male breast cancer account for less than 1% of all breast cancers...  The most troubling feature of breast cancer in men is that diagnosis if often delayed, most because no one suspects the disease, and partly because there is no recommended routine screening... Men with a strong family history of breast cancer-that is, a mother or sister with the disease-should talk to their doctor about genetic counseling and about developing some type of regular screening program."

Note from me:  I know a couple in their 60s.  One day the wife walked up behind her husband and reached around his chest area to give him a hug.  She was talking to him and rubbing on his chest when she felt the lump in his breast.  It was cancer.  He had the breast area removed and had 2 positive lymph nodes.  He is currently undergoing chemotherapy and will be on Tamoxifen.  Yes, men do indeed get breast cancer!

-----More to come!----