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Woman holding up a pink ribbon signifying breast cancer awareness month

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month

What is the average American’s risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime? Based on current incidence rates, 12.9% of women born in the United States today will develop breast cancer at some time during their lives (1). This estimate, from the most recent SEER Cancer Statistics Review (a report published annually by the National Cancer Institute’s [NCI] Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results [SEER] Program), is based on breast cancer statistics for the years 2015 through 2017.  This estimate means that, if the current incidence rate stays the same, a woman born today has about a 1 in 8 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during her life. On the other hand, the chance that she will never have breast cancer is 87.1%, or about 7 in 8.  For men born in the United States today, the lifetime risk of breast cancer is 0.13%, based on breast cancer statistics for the years 2015 through 2017. This means that a man born today has about a 1 in 800 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during his life.

Source: National Institute of Health

Welcoming Dr. Amelia Jeyapalan to SIH Breast Center

We are thrilled to introduce Dr. Amelia Jeyapalan, a dedicated breast surgeon, to the SIH family. With a deeply personal connection to her specialty and a straightforward, reassuring approach to patient care, Dr. Jeyapalan is now seeing patients at the SIH Breast Center 1. Dr. Jeyapalan's journey into breast surgery was profoundly influenced by her sister's diagnosis of breast cancer. "While I was working my first job, my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33, so that really kind of moved toward my interest," she shares. This personal experience has fueled her passion and commitment to providing the best care for her patients.

For senior women, Dr. Jeyapalan emphasizes the importance of early detection and regular screenings. "The problem we're seeing nowadays is that the age for breast cancer is skewing younger. So instead of it being a diagnosis of your mid-fifties, it's starting to be a diagnosis of your early forties to mid-forties. So it's really important you start that screening mammogram at the age of 40 because it is far easier for us to take care of things when it's small," she advises. For those with daughters, remind them to have their mammogram starting at age 40.  Dr. Jeyapalan's approach to patient care is both honest and comforting. Her dedication to her patients' well-being is evident in her words and actions.

We are confident that Dr. Jeyapalan will be a valuable addition to our team, bringing her expertise and compassionate care to the SIH Breast Center. Welcome, Dr. Jeyapalan!
 

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