Breast Cancer Remains a Threat for Older Women

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada, this year an estimated 22,400 Canadian women will be diagnosed with the disease.

Many people erroneously believe that the risk of breast cancer decreases as women grow older—but the reality is, the risk actually increases with age. A recent study emphasizes that seniors and their healthcare providers should take breast cancer seriously.

Despite recent examples of young and middle-aged celebrities being diagnosed with breast cancer, more than half of breast cancers happen in women over age 65.

That's why experts at the University of Michigan recommend women continue to receive breast screenings through their 70s.
 
"Women don’t seem to take the risk of breast cancer as they get older seriously. A lot of women seem to think of it as a middle-aged disease, and as they get older, they anticipate that if they were going to get breast cancer, they would have already had it. Therefore, they aren't as careful about getting screened," says Kathleen Diehl, M.D., assistant professor of surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School.

The risk of breast cancer increases with age, and does not drop off until after age 84. More than half of breast cancers are diagnosed in women age 65 or older, and as many as 45 percent are diagnosed after age 70.
 
Older women who do not follow regular screening guidelines often are diagnosed at a later stage, when breast cancer is more difficult to treat.
 
Even women who have previously been treated for breast cancer frequently let their surveillance and screening fall by the wayside as they get older. But recent studies have shown that breast cancer survivors who continue to have annual mammograms after age 65 reduce their risk of dying from the disease.
 
Breast cancer specialists, including Diehl, are currently working on guidelines for screening older women. In the meantime, Diehl recommends all women continue to get screened for breast cancer past the age of 70 and at least up till age 85. Screening should include mammograms, a clinical breast exam with a health care provider, and monthly breast self-exams.
 
Even women older than 85 should continue to be screened for breast cancer, Diehl says, especially if they are in good health.
 
"The message I want every woman over age 65 to really understand is that they need to continue to take care of their health. They need to continue to be diligent about seeing their physician for health maintenance exams, including a breast exam, and about getting that mammogram," Diehl says.
 
"If they develop breast cancer, we want to catch it early, when we have the best chance of treating it and continuing to keep them feeling well and living a long time," she adds.
 
Source: University of Michigan Medical School

For More Information

See the Canadian Cancer Society website for information about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for extensive information and resources about the prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer.

To learn more about risk factors and screening recommendations, see the Public Health Agency of Canada's Breast Cancer in Canada information page, and the Health Canada "It’s Your Health" page on breast cancer.

The Breast Cancer Society of Canada and the Canadian Breast Cancer Network promote breast cancer awareness and research, share information on the disease, and encourage greater access to screening services.