On this we can agree: Prevention key vs. breast cancer

While American politics may feel more polarized than ever, there are still issues that unite people of all backgrounds. Breast cancer prevention is one of them.

Many of us know a mother, daughter, sister or friend with breast cancer. This disease has united people from all walks of life in our quest to end it. Cancer does not discriminate; it affects women and men of all ethnicities, faiths and political parties — a reality I know all too well.

Both my mother and cousin are breast cancer survivors. Through the years, I have anxiously sat with them during doctors’ appointments and nervously awaited results from annual mammograms. I thank God everyday my family members remain cancer-free. Because of my family history, I am rigorously committed to making sure I do everything I can to protect my health. I hope all Texans will join me in doing the same for themselves.

In October, Americans wear pink in solidarity with survivors in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is an important opportunity to remind all how important prevention is to eradicating this terrible disease.

We have made great strides in medical treatments and public awareness since National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was first established in 1985. Sadly, an estimated 268,600 women and 2,670 men in the U.S. alone are expected to be diagnosed this year and 41,760 women and 500 men will die of the disease in 2019. In Texas alone, an estimated 18,750 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 2,980 will succumb to the disease.

These numbers are daunting. That is why screening and prevention are critical. The best chance of beating breast cancer is early detection. This year the American College of Physicians announced new screening guidelines, recommending women age 50-74 at average risk get mammograms every other year, and women age 40-49 talk with their doctors about when to start. While there has been some controversy over breast cancer screening guidelines, the Prevent Cancer Foundation and many other health organizations still encourage women of average risk to begin annual screening at age 40.

Thanks to medical progress, we know that BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations can increase the risk for breast and several other types of cancer. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now gives a “B” recommendation for women with personal or family histories of breast, ovarian, Fallopian tube or peritoneal cancers, or “an ancestry associated with breast cancer susceptibility” to receive familial risk assessments. A positive assessment should be followed by genetic counseling, which may result in a recommendation for genetic testing. Because private insurers are required to cover services with USPSTF “A” and “B” ratings, this “B” rating gives more women access to information about their cancer risk so they can make better decisions about preventive services.

Innovations in technology have expanded screening options for women with dense breast tissue who may be at greater risk for breast cancer. Digital breast tomosynthesis, or 3-D mammography, has improved detection. Liquid biopsies are currently used to monitor disease progression in metastatic breast cancer patients and may also be helpful in early detection and treatment.

Medical experts continue to explore ways to improve early detection and treatment for breast cancer. Individuals can also reduce their risk by practicing healthy lifestyle habits: exercising at least 150 minutes a week, limiting or avoiding alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.

Driving down cancer rates — breast cancer rates in particular — can happen, but the best outcomes are only possible through prevention by early detection. In this era of political polarization, that is something on which we all should be able to agree.