October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you are a reporter looking to know more or considering covering this topic, here are a few key facts to get started according to Breastcancer.org:

• About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. 
• In 2019, an estimated 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 62,930 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer. 
• About 2,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2019. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 883.
• About 41,760 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2019 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1989.
• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer. 
• Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. In 2019, it's estimated that about 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be breast cancers. 
• In women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African-American women than white women.
• A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Less than 15% of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.

At Augusta University, we have leading experts who can help with any of your questions, assist with your coverage and ensure your story has all the facts and details it requires to be a compelling and effective piece.

Dr. Alicia Vinyard is a Board-Certified General Surgeon and Fellowship Trained Breast Surgical Oncologist at the Georgia Cancer Center and Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Dr. Vinyard is also an expert in breast cancer, cancer surgery and cancer survivorship. She is available to speak to media about Breast Cancer Awareness Month – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview.