… M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston showed that obese and overweight women also had lower breast cancer survival rates and a greater chance of more aggressive disease than average-weight or underweight women.
4. Do a monthly breast self-exam
Be sure to get proper instruction from your doctor and have your technique reviewed regularly. You might catch a lump before a mammogram does, and it’s a good idea to follow the changes in your body.
5. Have a mammogram once a year after about 35-40 years of age
Catching a tumor early boosts the chance of survival significantly: The five-year survival rate can be as high as 98% for the earliest-stage localized disease, but hovers around 27% for the distant-stage, or metastatic, disease. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you may have to begin your screenings even sooner – check with your doctor or a breast cancer specialist about the prevention strategy that works best for you.