It’s Not about the Breasts

Wednesday, October 30, 2013 5:32 pm Daniel J. Summers

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Lots of places turn pink for awareness, but I don't know exactly what this “awareness” is supposed to accomplish. We're now “aware” that grown men tackling other grown men while wearing pink uniforms is - uh - different, and that cars zooming around a racetrack with pink paint schemes bring back memories of Pepto-Bismol. In our sex-obsessed society, it almost seems as though it's Breast Awareness Month. “Save the Ta-Tas!” “Save Second Base!” (Although I do have to admit that the one with two bees dressed like ghosts, with the caption “Save the Boo Bees,” is quite creative.) Certainly many Halloween costumes accentuate the fact that their wearers still possess them; but, again, I don't think that's the awareness this month is really meant to bring about.

The issue at stake with breast cancer, as anyone who has ever had it, or had a loved one or friend who had it, is the same issue at stake in nearly every other thing that has “cancer” in the name. It's your life. According to the NIH's National Cancer Institute, there have been around 232,000 cases of breast cancer found in 2013, with 40,000 of those resulting in death; but that's just for females. Males are responsible for another 2,200 cases of cancer and 400 deaths. That puts the death rate at 17% of women and 18% for men; for women, this is the #1 or #2 cause of death from cancer, depending on your ethnic heritage. The breast cancer survivors I know would give their breasts up in a heartbeat (and I believe that all of the ones I know have) to be rid of the cancer, and live to see their children grow.

The death rates are decreasing, which is good. Awareness is leading to action. That's really the key - a change of behavior based on the knowledge acquired. Both men and women can benefit from regular self-examinations; if something feels different, get it checked out. It's not just a lump of flesh at stake.