When the pink ribbons come down, breast health still deserves attention

Pink ribbons appear each October on shop windows, sports jerseys, and coffee cups across the United States. By the end of the month, many of them are taken down. Breast cancer, however, does not pause for the rest of the year, and our attention should not either.

As a board-certified OB-GYN, I spend a large part of my day speaking with patients about their health. One misconception I often hear is that a lump is the only warning sign of breast cancer. A lump is important, but it is not the entire picture, and waiting for one to show up is not a strategy.

The most effective way to reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer is to find it before any symptom is felt. Routine screening makes that possible. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force advises women at average risk to have a mammogram every other year starting at age 40 and continuing through age 74. Many women opt for yearly screening, and most insurers are required to cover annual mammograms beginning at 40. Your doctor can help decide on a schedule based on your personal medical history.

Screening also happens during the office visit. Many women think of their annual appointment only as a Pap smear, but a well-woman exam includes a full clinical breast exam. That exam looks for skin changes and differences in symmetry, checks for nipple changes, and feels the lymph nodes under the arms. Just as important, it gives patients a chance to learn what is normal for their own bodies.

You can also do something at home without medical training: become familiar with your baseline. Every so often, stand in front of a mirror and look carefully. Notice whether one breast looks larger or shaped differently than before. Watch for dimpling, thickening, changes in texture, unexplained itching, redness, or tenderness along the sides of the breasts and under the arms.

If you notice a change, you do not need to figure out what it means on your own. That is my job. Make an appointment for an evaluation, even if you had a normal mammogram a month or two ago. A reassuring screening result should never cause a new physical change to be ignored, regardless of age, size, or shape.

This applies to men as well. Male breast cancer is uncommon and is often tied to an inherited genetic variation, but men do have breast tissue and can develop the disease. Any man who notices a lump, a skin change, or nipple discharge should contact a primary care doctor right away.

The urgency of this work is deeply personal for many of the families I serve. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 42,140 women in the United States will die of breast cancer this year. The burden is not shared equally across communities. Black women face the highest breast cancer mortality rate of any racial or ethnic group, and are about 40% more likely to die from the disease than white women despite a slightly lower overall incidence. Focusing on early detection and equitable care remains one of the strongest ways to narrow that gap.

There is also an important conversation many families avoid: sharing a cancer diagnosis. Keeping medical news private is understandable, but a diagnosis can provide critical health information for sisters, daughters, sons, parents, and cousins.

As hereditary cancer testing becomes more accessible, knowing your family history matters even more. If a relative carries an inherited gene variant or receives a breast cancer diagnosis, other family members may qualify for earlier screenings, specialized testing, or genetic counseling. Documented family history can also help with insurance coverage for more advanced tests. Speaking openly gives loved ones a better chance to catch cancer early or prevent it altogether.

Even after Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends, three commitments can make a difference: schedule your well-woman exam and stay up to date on mammograms, pay close attention to your body so subtle changes are noticed early, and talk honestly with your family about cancer history across generations.

The ribbons may come down, but the habits that save lives should remain.