Breast Cancer: Know Your Risk, Catch It Early, Navigate What’s Next

By AON Staff Writer

September 29, 2026 in Education, Patient-centric Care

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual observance that promotes education about breast cancer, the value of early detection and support for those affected by the disease.

Breast Is Second-Most Common Cancer Among Women

After skin cancers, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 321,910 women in the U.S. will receive an invasive breast cancer diagnosis in 2026, along with about 60,730 diagnoses of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a noninvasive form. There are more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.

These numbers underscore why awareness, appropriate screening, and prompt follow-up of breast changes matter.

It’s Rare, but Men Get Breast Cancer, Too

Breast cancer can affect men because everyone has breast tissue. However, only about 1 in 100 breast cancer diagnoses in the U.S. occurs in men. A painless lump or thickening in or near the breast is the most common sign. Other changes can include nipple inversion or a change in nipple direction, clear or bloody nipple discharge, a sore on the breast, redness or scaling of the nipple or areola, swelling and skin dimpling.

Men should not dismiss these changes because prompt clinical evaluation is important.

Risk Factors and Symptoms

Breast cancer risk rises with age, but it is also influenced by personal, family, reproductive, lifestyle and genetic factors. A family history can signal elevated risk, particularly when several relatives have had breast or ovarian cancer, a relative was diagnosed at a younger age, or there is a history of male breast cancer. Inherited variants in genes including BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 and CHEK2 may substantially increase risk.

Symptoms warranting evaluation include a new breast or underarm lump, thickening, swelling, dimpling, nipple discharge other than breast milk, nipple changes, persistent pain, or a change in breast size or shape. Most breast changes are not cancer, but they should be assessed.

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women receive a screening mammogram every other year from ages 40 through 74. People at higher-than-average risk—such as those with certain inherited gene variants, a strong family history, prior chest radiation at a young age or certain prior breast findings—may need earlier, more frequent or additional screening.

Screening guidance can vary among professional organizations and should be individualized through a conversation with a clinician who understands the person’s risk profile. A breast exam should be part of an annual wellness visit with a primary care provider or gynecologist. Breast self-exams can be a helpful way to become familiar with potential changes to share with a doctor, but should not be relied on as the sole screening method.

Breast Cancer Subtypes

Breast cancer is not one disease. Tumor tissue testing identifies whether cancer cells have estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and excess HER2 protein or gene activity. Hormone receptor-positive cancers use estrogen and/or progesterone signaling and may respond to hormone-blocking treatments.

HER2-positive cancers can often be treated with medicines designed to target HER2. Triple-negative breast cancer lacks ER, PR and HER2, so hormone therapy and standard HER2-targeted therapy are not effective. Instead, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, antibody-drug conjugates or other approaches may be considered. Stage, tumor grade, genomic testing, overall health and individual goals also help guide personalized treatment.

Treatment Depends on Cancer Type, Severity

Treatment may combine local therapies—surgery and radiation—with systemic therapies that travel through the bloodstream. Surgery removes the tumor and may include breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy, often with evaluation of nearby lymph nodes. Radiation reduces the chance of local recurrence by targeting cancer cells remaining in the breast, chest wall, or lymph-node areas. Chemotherapy treats rapidly dividing cancer cells and may be used before or after surgery. Targeted therapies act on specific cancer features, including HER2. Immunotherapy can help the immune system recognize and attack cancer in selected situations. Hormone therapy reduces estrogen-driven growth in hormone receptor-positive disease.

The specific combination, order, and duration of treatment are tailored to each patient and cancer.

Comprehensive Care Closer to Home

Breast cancer care works best when specialists coordinate decisions rather than treating each step in isolation. A multidisciplinary team may include a breast surgeon, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, radiologist, pathologist, genetic counselor, oncology nurse, navigator, pharmacist, social worker, rehabilitation clinician and primary care clinician. Together, they can align pathology findings, imaging, staging, genetic information, treatment sequencing and symptom management.

Community-based care brings high-quality, coordinated services closer to home, reducing travel burdens and helping patients maintain support from family, work and local clinicians. When needed, community teams can also coordinate consultation with specialized cancer centers and clinical-trial programs.

End of Treatment Shouldn’t Mean End of Care

Surviving cancer is a journey that begins at diagnosis and continues throughout a person’s life. While the end of treatment may feel like the journey’s end, this period often brings new physical, emotional and practical needs that must be addressed. Follow-up care should include not only monitoring for recurrence or managing persistent or late side effects but also treating the whole person by supporting recovery and addressing concerns such as fatigue, pain, fertility, mental health, nutrition and the return to work, school, or daily activities.

A survivorship care plan can summarize treatment received, outline recommended screening and follow-up appointments, and identify symptoms to report promptly. Ongoing communication among the patient, oncology team and primary care clinician helps ensure care remains coordinated, personalized and responsive as needs change over time.