Survey Shows Many Women Misinformed About Breast Cancer Risk

A nationwide survey by the American Cancer Society (ACS) suggests that many women are misinformed about breast cancer risk.

Nearly half of the respondents thought that U.S. women had a 30 to 50 percent chance of developing breast cancer, while 66 percent believed that the risk is higher than 20 percent. According to the ACS, a woman's average lifetime risk for breast cancer is approximately 11 percent.

Women answering the survey also thought that the risk for developing breast cancer is greatest between the ages of 30 and 49. In reality, the risk increases with age. Seventy-seven percent of new cases and 84 percent of deaths from breast cancer reported between 1994 and 1998 occurred in women age 50 and older, according to the ACS.

"This important research shows there is a lot of information out there about breast cancer risk, which women are unable to easily understand in terms of their personal risk for getting this terrible disease," said Vicki Rakowski, RN, ET, Vice President of Cancer Control for the ACS, Great Lakes Division. "The ACS encourages women to talk to their doctors about what breast cancer risk means to them personally.

Women taking the survey also reported that they were more likely to talk to their female friends about health issues, especially breast cancer and mammography. Almost 70 percent said they are greatly, or somewhat influenced by others' opinions related to these concerns, showing the importance of women educating themselves.

Other Sources: American Cancer Society