Increasing early detection necessary in breast cancer fight
TOM REYNOLDS Congressman 26th District

Each year, thousands of women receive the devastating news that they have been diagnosed with breast cancer. This hit home for me recently as a colleague of mine, who was diagnosed only two years ago and fought bravely, tragically succumbed to breast cancer earlier this month.

Virginia Rep. Jo Ann Davis was not alone in her battle; in fact, every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2007, an estimated 178,480 women will be diagnosed with some form of invasive breast cancer. Excluding skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. It is the leading cause of death among women between the ages of 45 and 54.

But thankfully, over the years, prevention and research have helped to prevent millions more women from becoming victims. For instance, ensuring that you and your loved ones understand and practice early detection and screening methods is the most effective way to fight this terrible disease. Experts recommend that women older than 40 have a physical breast exam performed every year by a physician and women between 20 and 40 receive one every three years. Every woman should have a baseline mammogram by age 40 and receive a screening mammogram every year thereafter. A woman's best overall preventive health strategy is to reduce her known risk factors as much as possible by avoiding weight gain and obesity, engaging in regular physical activity, and minimizing alcohol intake.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month gave us a special opportunity to increase public knowledge about the importance of early detection. In fact, by increasing awareness we can help reduce breast cancer death rates by up to 30 percent if all women take advantage of early detection methods. If women discover breast cancer in its early stage, they have a 98 percent survival

rate.

In addition to screening, we must continue our fight to find the cure for breast cancer. In Congress, I continue to be a strong advocate for breast cancer research, detection and treatment. I have supported many efforts to increase awareness and provide more resources for the fight against cancer. In the past three years alone, I have been able to secure $3.5 million in federal funding for cancer research at Roswell Park and the University of Rochester. I co-sponsored legislation to invest in research that will study the link between the environment and breast cancer, a top priority of the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

In addition, I have strongly supported the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program Reauthorization Act, which authorized $1.25 billion in federal funding for breast and cervical cancer detection programs, and gives low-income and uninsured women greater access to screening services.

Survivors understand the value of early detection and the importance of opening up therapies and treatments to more cancer patients. On behalf of the survivors, and those like Jo Ann, we must do our part to encourage all Western New York women and their families to get the facts about early detection. By doing this we can help prevent more of our mothers, sisters and daughters from becoming victims of this disease.