Cans: Treat 'em right

Boobies. Tatas. Yabos. Jugs. Boulders and bongos. Coconuts, mangos and melons.

By any name - and there are about 200 of them - gazungas seem to get a lot of attention. Yet for all that ostensible focus, the twins still don't get the attention they need.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Repeated studies and medical advice emphasize the importance of breast self-exams (BSEs) to reduce breast cancer mortality. Doctors repeat the mantra until blue in the face, yet the majority of us females don't practice it at all, let alone regularly. One in eight women will get breast cancer, but according to one study only 29 percent of women aged 21 to 65 performed BSEs. Waiting for the annual physician's exam just doesn't cut it, ladies.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 40 percent of diagnosed breast cancers - the second leading cause of death among women, behind heart disease - are detected by women who feel a lump, so establishing a regular BSE is very important. Chances are most people have known someone who has or had breast cancer. That included Press readers when then-North Idaho College president Priscilla Bell bravely went public with her diagnosis to urge awareness. She caught it early and beat it. Not all are so fortunate.

Breast cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow and invade healthy tissue, forming a tumor. According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year more than 220,000 women and 2,000 men in the U.S. are diagnosed, and more than 41,000 people will die from it. There are several types of breast cancer; while most involve a lump, a rarer type involves a swollen or red breast which feels warm to the touch. Anything unusual should be checked by a physician.

Along with self-screenings and annual exams, mammograms are a key detection tool. The CDC recommends biannual mammograms for healthy women older than 50 (more often in case of family history), but the American Cancer society advises annual mammograms for women older than 40.

Between mammograms is the simple, quick self-exam, advisable for adult women of any age. Studies show men and women can reduce cancer risks with exercise (even 30-minute powerwalks help), a low-fat/low-alcohol diet, and no smoking. Ask your doctor and see NationalBreastCancer.org for more information, lifestyle and dietary advice, and instructions for breast self-exams. Ladies, please make them part of your monthly routine, say the first of each month.

No, cancer doesn't always mean chemo or breast removal (which is a darn sight better than death), and no, deodorants don't cause it. Never rely on email forwards without checking them out with a reliable, scientific source. For more myth-busting, information, and support see NationalBreastCancer.org.

And be good to those headlights.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at [email protected].