9/11 Breast Cancer Spotlight for October

9/11 Breast Cancer is a Top 10 Most Common 9/11 Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States, a tradition that began in 1985. Now in its 34^th year, the event is intended to raise awareness of the condition and raise funds to study its causes, treatment, and prevention. While researchers have made enormous strides toward finding cures, breast cancer remains a serious threat to the lives of millions of women every year. Below we will outline how common breast cancer is, how to tell if you are at risk, and what 9/11 survivors and responders need to know about 9/11 breast cancer. For more information about any of the information presented herein, please contact a 911 cancer claim attorney.

A Serious and Widespread Disease

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancers, affecting roughly 1 in 8 women in the United States. A woman’s risk of dying of breast cancer has dropped 39% since the late 1980s, but it is still the second-most-common cause of cancer deaths in women (after lung cancer). According to the American Cancer Society’s estimates for 2018:

• About 266,120 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women
• About 63,960 cases of non-invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women
• About 40,920 women will die of breast cancer

In total, there are more than 3.1 million people in the United States today who have been diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives.

Know the Signs

Although it seems like breast cancer strikes at random, there are certain risk factors that can increase an individual’s susceptibility to it. These include:

• Consumption of alcohol (women who consume 2-3 drinks per day are at a 20% higher risk of breast cancer)
• Obesity (the risk of developing breast cancer is 1.5 times higher for overweight women, while it is 2 times higher for obese women)
• Inactive lifestyle (women who engage in regular physical activity have a 10-25% lower risk of developing breast cancer)
• Tobacco use (heavy, long-term smoking slightly increases the risk of developing breast cancer)

Some of the most common symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Breast pain
• Skin irritation
• Swelling of all or a part of the breast
• Nipple pain or inward-turning nipples
• Redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
• Discharges from the nipple (other than milk)
• A lump in the underarm area

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should consult with your doctor as soon as possible

Breast Cancer in 9/11 Survivors and Responders

Another risk factor for developing breast cancer — in both women and men — is having been exposed to the toxic dust and debris of the World Trade Center site after 9/11. In fact, female breast cancer is the fourth most-common certified cancer that the World Trade Center Health Program covers, having affected 255 responders and 633 survivors. Individuals suffering from 9/11 breast cancer thus may be eligible to receive benefits and compensation under both the World Trade Center Health Program and the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund