Dr Feldman on Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Early Screening/Detection

Sheldon M. Feldman, MD, chief, Division of Breast Surgery and Breast Surgical Oncology, director, Breast Cancer Services, professor, Department of Surgery, Montefiore Einstein, discusses the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting how awareness efforts encourage timely breast cancer screening and early detection.

Breast cancer is deeply woven into many individuals’ lives and communities; it’s challenging to find anyone who hasn’tbeen affected by it personally, such as through family or friends, Feldman begins. Encouragingly, there have been advances in breast cancer management, leading to more minimally invasive treatment methods and improved patient outcomes, he reports. However, these positive results rely heavily on early disease detection, making breast cancer awareness crucial, according to Feldman. Although the prospect of screening can be daunting for both women and men, the benefits are profound, Feldman emphasizes.

Patients diagnosed through early screening, for instance, often show no symptoms, sometimes being diagnosed with cancer only after a routine mammogram or upon noticing a minor lump, he continues. This distinction—being diagnosed with cancer vs feeling ill with cancer—is vital, he adds. Patients are often reassured when they realize that their treatment aims to preserve their health rather than fight advanced illness, he notes. Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can evoke a sense of dread in patients, yet early detection is powerful and life-changing, Feldman emphasizes.

Raising awareness is essential, especially given that age and being female are primary risk factors for breast cancer, he expands. He notes that it is important for women to understand screening guidelines that facilitate early diagnosis, often through mammography. Additionally, women should recognize that any symptoms, such as a lump, unusual pain, nipple discharge, or a rash, warrant immediate medical attention, he reports.

Although October serves as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and other months have dedicated cancer focuses, breast cancer’s prevalence and early detectability underscore the importance of vigilance regarding this disease, he says. Breast cancer remains highly treatable when caught early, making awareness efforts during October especially influential, Feldman concludes.