Know Your Odds of Breast-Cancer Survival
I want you to think of eight women in your life...
They might include a parent, a sibling, a relative, a dear friend, or perhaps even yourself.
Now, picture just one of those eight loved ones...
As it turns out, that woman will likely get breast cancer in her lifetime.
Those odds are just terrible.
In fact, she'll be one of the 316,950 women in the U.S. expected to receive that diagnosis in 2025. And more than 42,000 women will die from it this year.
Today, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we'll be covering some of the facts you need to know, like how to understand your risk, what you should do after a diagnosis, and the best ways to prevent breast cancer...
Are there different types of breast cancer?
Yes. Doctors describe breast cancer based on where it is or how it appears. The most common type of breast cancer is invasive ductal carcinoma. This is a cancer that starts in the milk ducts and then grows outward into the tissue.
Breast cancer also falls into categories based on the types of receptors found in the tumor. These receptors attract estrogen, progesterone, and the HER2/neu gene.
ER (estrogen receptor) positive means the tumor grows from estrogen production. About 80% of all breast cancers are ER positive. And if you're ER or PR (progesterone receptor) positive, hormone therapy after your traditional cancer treatment can prevent recurrence.
In triple-negative breast cancer, none of these receptors are present. Unfortunately, that makes it more difficult to treat, though not impossible.
Breast cancer is also further categorized as invasive or noninvasive. Noninvasive means that the cancer stays in the same place in the breast, either in the milk ducts or the lobules. It's sometimes called pre-cancer because it doesn't spread to other tissue. But when it does spread, it's called invasive. And that means the cancer is growing and invading healthy tissue throughout the breast.
How do I check for breast cancer?
Start with self-exams every month. You should preferably do one about a week after your period starts (so any swelling doesn't throw things off) or on the same day every month if you've been through menopause.
Using light, then medium, then firm pressure, work in small circles to check for any unusual lumps. Check for things like unusual shapes, swelling, redness, or dimpling. You should do the exam while standing up and repeat it while lying down.
I've found a lump! Now what?
Call your doctor for a checkup, but don't panic... There's a chance you have a very common – but benign – breast condition called fibrocystic breast changes. According to some estimates, women are 70% to 90% likely to experience this condition at some point in their lives. If it turns out that you have this condition, the lumps you might feel are actually just fluid-filled cysts or fibrous scars. These lumps usually enlarge with changes in hormone levels and may cause pain or tenderness.
When should I get a mammogram?
The American Cancer Society recommends annual mammograms for women aged 45 to 54. Beginning at age 55, it recommends switching to a mammogram every other year, unless you're in a high-risk group.
It's also important to remember that mammograms have about an 87% detection rate, making them an important tool to find breast cancer early. However, each test increases the odds of a false positive (which then requires additional testing). Plus, after 10 years of annual exams, roughly 50% to 60% of women are likely to get a false positive.
If you're under 40, the false-positive rate is higher as well. In addition, many providers may save it as a later measure if you're of childbearing age, as the radiation can cause some damage.
When it's time for your first mammogram, you may want to take an aspirin for the pain and be sure to go at a time when you aren't close to your period so your breasts aren't as tender. Also be sure to wear a shirt instead of a dress and avoid any deodorant, powders, or lotions. These may contain metallic traces that give false readings.
What if it's cancer?
Breast cancer, like many other cancers, uses the traditional triad of treatments: surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. You may only need one of these, or you may need a combination. Much of this will depend on the type of cancer and whether it's invasive.
Although it's the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, breast-cancer survival rates improve every year. In 2017, about 41,000 people died from breast cancer. But that's still much lower than it used to be. Between 1989 and 2015, breast-cancer deaths in women dropped 39%, largely due to early detection. That's why we recommend educating yourself about the risks and using regular self-exams to keep in tune with your health.
Is it just genetic?
It might surprise you, but just 5% to 10% of all breast-cancer cases are inherited. The most common genes responsible are BRCA1 and BRCA2... However, just because you have a mutation on one of these genes doesn't necessarily mean you'll get cancer. There are other genes responsible as well.
Your risk does increase based on family history. Risk factors include having any blood relatives who had breast cancer before age 50, relatives with triple-negative breast cancer, Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, or a family history of other cancers.
How can I reduce my risk?
While you can't control your genetics, a new study shows you do have the power to take control of one major factor... exercise.
An international group of researchers examined the effects of exercising and being sedentary on breast-cancer risk. The team utilized other studies from U.K. Biobank linking genetic variations with different activity levels to examine the "exercise genes" of nearly 131,000 women. Roughly 70,000 of the participants had invasive breast cancer.
They found that the women genetically predisposed to exercise had a 41% lower risk of developing invasive breast cancer than those who were likely sedentary – regardless of factors like the tumor type or how far the cancer had spread. Similarly, the participants predicted to be the most sedentary had a 104% higher risk of developing one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.
For this study, researchers used this genetic predisposition to predict activity levels. But you can take control of your own life, even if your genes make it harder to do so. Any movement counts – like walking, jogging, or swimming – but researchers did see more of a risk reduction in women predisposed to more vigorous exercise.
High-intensity interval training ("HIIT") is a perfect example of vigorous exercise...
Longtime readers know it's also my favorite type of aerobic exercise. HIIT mixes moderate movement with short bursts of intense exercise. And research shows HIIT gives you the same benefits as a longer, less-intense cardio workout would.
I do 20- to 45-second bursts of intense movement followed by 20- to 90-second periods of rest or slow movements for one cycle (or rep). So if you're a beginner, you could walk moderately for a minute, then jog quickly for 20 seconds, then repeat. I try to do four to eight of these cycles almost daily. (With an easy warmup and cooldown, that's about 20 to 30 minutes a day.) And on cold or rainy days, I love doing this indoors on a stationary bicycle, too.
Not only is it crucial to be physically active to lower your breast-cancer risk, but it's also important for cancer survivors to prevent recurrence...
A recently published small study looked at 32 breast-cancer survivors who did a single session of HIIT or other resistance training. Researchers found that, post exercise, cancer-cell growth significantly decreased, while levels of cancer-fighting molecules in the blood significantly increased.
As we're seeing breast-cancer rates rising – especially in women under 50 – it's important to know how to spot the disease and what steps you can take after a diagnosis. So make sure you share today's issue with all the women in your life.
If you have more questions or want to share your own experience, send them our way... feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com.
What We're Reading...
- Something different: Do you have "dense breasts"?
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
October 2, 2025