Some people require additional imaging, such as ultrasound or MRI, due to factors like dense breasts or increased risk from BRCA gene mutations or family history. False positives on a mammogram can often lead to unnecessary biopsies. Despite these challenges, mammograms and other screening tools remain essential. This emphasizes the importance of advancing screening technology and pathology, which is where AI shows promise for improving outcomes.

When it comes to breast cancer prevention, many factors come into play—genetics, environment, and lifestyle choices. While we can’t control our genes, we do have the power to influence our health through diet, exercise, and other habits. Over the years, research has pointed to various lifestyle factors that may either increase or reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

As we look back on 2024, we take a moment to reflect. This year has been one of growth, impact, and unwavering commitment to supporting breast cancer patients and their caregivers. Through donations, advocacy, networking, and your stories we've made significant progress in raising awareness, bringing you critical research, and providing vital resources and education for patients and their families.

Yet, the thought of having to say that “I have cancer” out loud to my family and close friends wasn’t something I wanted to do. It made me feel like I was looking for attention. That’s because having cancer is surreal and warps reality. It was near impossible for me to wrap my head around. Sharing this information felt deeply personal and required me to be vulnerable, strong and courageous all at the same time. No easy feat. So of course, once I confided in my circle of family and friends, I wanted them to say and do the things I needed.

Both men and women have breast tissue, and while men don’t have the ability to produce milk, their breast cells can still develop into cancer. About 1 in 5 men with breast cancer have a close relative —male or female—who also had the disease. Research indicates that biological males make up half of the U.S. population carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, genes commonly linked to breast cancer in women.

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can turn your world upside down. It can alter your life to one filled with fear, uncertainty, and a whirlwind of treatment options. In the midst of this chaos, many patients discover the potential of massage therapy as a complimentary therapy. This gentle, restorative treatment not only offers relief from physical discomfort but also nurtures emotional well-being and enhances overall quality of life.

As we look ahead to 2025, we reflect on the incredible strides made in breast cancer awareness, research, and support. The past year brought new insights, inspiring stories, and innovative developments in breast cancer research. To kick off the new year, we've curated a list of blog posts that have generated the greatest interest in our community over the past year.

This was not (and sometimes still isn’t) easy. I blamed and shamed my way through surgery and treatment. As a result, I held my breast cancer diagnosis close to my heart, not really talking about it or sharing about my experiences with anyone beyond my tight circle of confidants. It wasn’t until a friend pushed me to write an article about my experience with breast cancer that I started to crack open and search for a different way to go through it.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can feel like a rollercoaster ride, and it’s natural to have a million questions swirling in your mind. One of the most important ones is whether genomic testing could help inform your treatment. Here’s a quick guide on when to bring it up with your oncologist.

Breast cancer incidence rates have been relatively stable over the past decade; however, recent studies are revealing that breast cancer rates among Asian American women have been rapidly increasing. Since 2000, breast cancer occurrence among Asian American and Pacific Islander women under 50 years of age has increased by 50%, growing more than 2% every year since 2012, according to a 2024 report from the American Cancer Society.

. This year, Giving Tuesday will take place tomorrow, on December 3rd. Established in the U.S. in 2012, Giving Tuesday is now a worldwide movement focused on generosity, giving, and volunteering. Although it’s officially observed on the first Tuesday after Black Friday, the spirit and impact of Giving Tuesday often extends well beyond just 24 hours.

I call Tamoxifen hot flashes: bonfires with a flood. Because when one hits you, it feels like your entire body is going up in flames right before it’s soaked in a flood of hair-flattening, body-drenching sweat. It’s horrible and exhausting, never mind totally gross. And there was nothing I wouldn’t do to avoid having one. Even giving up sugar.

As we mark Precision Medicine Awareness Month (PMAM) this #KNOWvember, it's crucial to highlight the essential need for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the rapidly advancing field of precision medicine.

When diagnosed with breast cancer, having a life and health insurance policy can be an important tool to help you offset the financial toll it can take on your life. But these policies can be confusing. Unless you work in the sector, all the industry-specific language, details, and different clauses and subclauses might sound like a foreign language. This guide will help you make sense of your insurance policy.

I struggle with the word “survivor”. Maybe it’s because I still don’t really feel like a survivor, six years post diagnosis. The word “survivor” implies I’ve 'made it through.' Six years later, however, I feel like I am still in it. I feel tremendous guilt that I don’t feel like a survivor, when many before me (my mom and brother included) would have given anything to be in my privileged position of surviving. Please don't misunderstand —I am filled with gratitude and take note every single day, even when completing the most disliked tasks. I am grateful because I know that if I were sick, I would give anything to do this task again.

And yet, somehow, each October, breast cancer morphs into being more than a life-taking disease. It becomes a metaphorically branded pink train that clothing, makeup, skincare, jewellery, appliances, hotels, restaurants, fast food chains, and even oil and gas drill bit companies jump onto, brandishing the small pink ribbon as a statement of support.

Demography refers to the social, cultural, and personal characteristics that make up an individual. Currently, the scope of demographic health data in Canada is often limited to age and sex. This limited data means that many crucial details—such as income, race, or other social elements—are not being collected.

The room shrunk and all that existed in the world was this radiologist and the screen she remained hyper-focused on. There was near silence in the room as she examined the dense breast tissue from every conceivable angle. Next, she went over and around my fully inverted nipple and through every conceivable angle, and over all the flesh of my breast under my nipple as well. “I don’t like the density of this breast at all,” she finally revealed.

October 13 is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. As of 2020, approximately 168,000 women in the U.S. were living with metastatic breast cancer (mBC), which is a projected 31% increase from 2010. This type of cancer, also called stage IV or advanced breast cancer, means it has metastasized, or spread, to other areas in the body such as the liver, lungs, brain, or bones.

Breast cancer vaccines are a buzzy topic that’s seemingly everywhere lately—from ongoing news stories about cancer research to Reddit threads and personalized Instagram posts. But what I’m most interested in knowing is if these vaccines are truly the “golden goose” every woman like me, who is dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis or the aftermath of one, is looking for: can these vaccines truly alleviate my fear by ensuring zero recurrences? To find out, I did a deep dive into the latest information and here’s what I learned.