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(CNN) - October is the month of breast cancer awareness, an international campaign to raise awareness of the second most common type of cancer among women, with the goal of one day eliminating it.
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2019 there will be 271,270 new cases of breast cancer, 99 percent of which will be diagnosed in women.
These are some ways to help prevent and detect this very common and serious disease.
Reduce risk
Although it is impossible to avoid factors such as genetics or age, you can take steps to reduce the risk of breast cancer primarily by staying healthy.
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. (CDC) have several recommendations on how to do it.
The CDC recommends maintaining a healthy weight, exercising on a regular basis and discussing the risks of oral contraceptive use or hormone replacement therapy with your doctor. Breastfeeding your children if you have them or when you have them, can help too.
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control advise consuming little or no alcohol, citing sources that indicate that the risk of breast cancer increases with alcohol consumption.
Factors such as older age, breasts with dense breast tissue, genetic mutations, previous treatments using radiotherapy and a family history of breast cancer can increase the risk of getting breast cancer, according to the CDC.
Know the symptoms
Many women are taught to look for new lumps or masses in their breast tissues but it is important to consider other types of abnormalities.
Inflammation of the skin or irritation, change of breast shape, nipple discharge (unless it is breast milk), pain in or from the breast, skin scaling or dimples may be other possible warning signs of breast cancer, according to the United States Cancer Treatment Centers.
These symptoms are a sure sign of breast cancer, although to be sure consult a doctor to discuss any new changes that occur.
Perform periodic tests
Some women are diagnosed with breast cancer after observing certain symptoms, but many women with the disease have no symptoms at all. That is why it is essential to have mammograms periodically.
The recommended age to start having mammograms ranges from 40 to 50 years, depending on who is asked.
While the recommended ages vary, the National Cancer Institute has observed that women between the ages of 50 and 69 who undergo periodic mammograms have a lower chance of dying from breast cancer.
breast cancer