One in every eight American women will have breast cancer in her lifetime. That’s why it is important to assess your risk and determine what you can do to reduce it, says SMDC Breast Surgeon Audrey Park-Skinner, MD.

The good news is that if breast cancer is detected early, more than 90 percent of women survive, she points out.

On Oct. 1, Dr. Park-Skinner will be one of three speakers at a free seminar on breast health. “Making Connections” is offered from 6-8:30 p.m. in the atrium of SMDC Medical Center’s Duluth Clinic First Street Building, 420 E. First St., Duluth.

Breast cancer is related to the female hormone estrogen. The most significant risk factors are:

• Breast cancer in your mother, sisters or daughters
• Starting menstruation before age 12 or cessation after age 50
• No pregnancies or your first pregnancy
  after age 30
• Receiving estrogen replacement therapy.

“But most cases of breast cancer have no risk factors,” Dr. Park-Skinner says. The majority of women who have breast cancer develop it after
age 50.

To lower your risk, cut down on fat in your diet because estrogen is made from fat. “If something has a lot of fat in it, it’s best to take a couple of
bites and then load up on fruits and vegetables,”
Dr. Park-Skinner says.

Exercise to get your heart rate up and help you
stay trim. The more body fat, the more estrogen
you have. You can do any kind of activity, including housework, climbing stairs at work or taking a
walk for a few minutes at a time to add up to 20 to 30 minutes a day. Breast cancer patients who exercise have a better chance of survival.

In addition, it’s important to get enough calcium
and Vitamin D to maintain strong bones. When breast cancer spreads, it often goes into the bones.

Dr. Park-Skinner recommends these early-detection measures:

• Have an initial mammogram around age
  40 and yearly mammograms beginning at age 50.
• Ask your primary healthcare provider do a breast examination at your annual physical.
• Look for changes in your own breasts.
  “Do a self-examination and get to know
  your breasts,” she says.

“As women, I think it’s important to take charge of our health. We take care of a lot of other people.
We need to take care of ourselves, too,” Dr. Park-Skinner says.

Audrey Park-Skinner, MD

Free Breast Health Seminar

“Making Connections” is a free educational seminar for women on breast health and breast cancer. The Oct. 1 event features three experts from SMDC Medical Center-Duluth Clinic:

• “It’s not always cancer – understanding breast changes” with gynecologist Stephen Bloom, MD
• “Managing your breast cancer risk” with breast surgeon Audrey Park-Skinner, MD
• “Taking nutrition to the next level for optimal health” with dietitian Bonnie Brost, RD, LD, CDE

When: 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1

Where: First Floor Atrium of SMDC Medical Center’s Duluth Clinic First Street Building, 420 E. First St., Duluth

Tours: Breast Health Center tours will also be available.

Parking: Use SMDC Medical Center’s Miller-Dwan Ramp. Enter from East First Street, East Second Street or Fourth Avenue East.

To register: Call (218) 786-3346 or e-mail your name, phone number and the number of attendees to rsvp@smdc.org by Oct. 1.

CME credit: 1.5 contact hours of continuing education for registered and licensed nurses and 1 Category A credit hour through ASRT for technologists.