July 16–24, 2005 Listen to the message

Overestimating Breast Cancer Risk

Two recent studies shed light on women’s misperceptions about their risk of developing breast cancer.

In the first, female smokers in their 40’s consider breast cancer their greatest health concern, despite being 10 times more likely to die of smoking-related causes like heart attacks, lung cancer, or emphysema.

In the second, women overestimated their chance of developing breast cancer by 400%.

What does all this mean?

For one, it shows that female smokers who worry about breast cancer need to get their priorities straight.

Second, it raises the concern that women’s fear of breast cancer may influence the low rates at which they get screened.

Women over forty should receive annual mammograms.

It is most likely that you do not have breast cancer. But if you do, you need to know right now to improve your chance for cure.

Stop smoking. Get screened. It’s that simple.

Georgia Cancer Specialists, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest private oncology and hematology practice in the Southeast with 41 physicians and 31 offices throughout the Atlanta and Macon areas.

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Web site by Lenz

The Cancer Answer

July 16–24, 2005 Listen to the message

Overestimating Breast Cancer Risk

Georgia Cancer Specialists, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest private oncology and hematology practice in the Southeast with 41 physicians and 31 offices throughout the Atlanta and Macon areas.