October is Breast Cancer awareness month and in honor of this month, the health center is providing many education tools to everyone on campus.

The program is directed by the American Cancer Society (ACS) in order to boost public awareness.

The student health center is providing a multitude of things to promote awareness among the student population. Information about Breast cancer and the other various types of cancers are posted on bulletin boards, shown on videos and breast health models are also available for viewing.

“Most of this information will be available at the main Student health center and the Health connection located in the University Union,” Health Educator Lorraine Martinez said.

In addition to the educational tools inside the Health Center, there will also be at least one outreach center on-campus to help raise more awareness amongst students, said Martinez.

The ACS is also promoting the ‘Making Strides against Breast Cancer’ walk which was held October 20th at the State Capitol. “We had an informal team that met at 10th & L streets, at 7:50a.m.” Martinez said.

Breast Cancer is a malignant tour that develops from breast cells and is the most common cancer among women. According to the ACS statistics, it is estimated that in this year alone 203,500 women will be diagnosed with this type of cancer in the United States. In addition to that, 39,600 women and 400 men will die from Breast Cancer this year.

Early detection can help prevent the spread of cancer.

Mammograms are used to detect any signs of Breast cancer. The ACS also reports that of women in their forties 1 in 66 will develop Breast cancer and that 18 percent of all Breast cancers occur in women who are in their forties.

It is also reported that Breast cancer found through a mammogram screening was smaller and in its early stages.

Women aged 40 and older are encouraged to get mammograms routinely. Those women whom aged 20- 29 should receive a physical exam of the breast monthly.

Martinez also stated that generally most women between the ages of 18 and 24 do not perform Breast Self exams monthly.

“Most incidences of cancer do not typically occur in this age group, although that does not mean that women between the ages of 18 and 24 cannot have breast cancer.” Martinez said.

Moreover, making Breast cancer fatalities among college women low.

In a recent study done by scientists, female teachers show higher cancer rates than other women of their age and race.

According to the study female teachers had a 51 percent higher rate of Breast cancer than those women in California of close age and race.

Some of the study findings are as follows

72 percent higher rate of endometrial cancer59 percent higher rate of Melanoma51 percent higher rate of Breast cancer47 percent higher rate of Lymphoma28 percent higher rate ovarian cancer28 percent higher rate of Leukemia47 percent lower rate of cervical cancer34 percent lower rate lung cancer

Source: Sacramento Bee/California Teacher’s cancer study

In response to this study, Junior Stephanie Perez, who is majoring in Early Childhood Development, expresses her opinion.”Why did they do this study with teachers only and not other professions?” Perez said.

Currently there are no clear cut reasons for this indifference.

The ACS report that the five-year survival rate of a person diagnosed with breast cancer in its early stages (has not spread to lymph nodes) is 97 percent. However the rate drops to 76 percent once the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and will drop to 20 percent if the cancer has spread to other organs.