Every Deaf and Hard of Hearing Woman Counts

Breast Cancer Detection

Why is early detection so important?

With early detection, breast cancer can be found when it is still as small as a bead on a dress. Late stage means identifying the cancer after some cells have broken off from the original tumor cluster and moved through the blood and lymph system to other parts of the body. It could be the liver, bone marrow, brain, kidney or any other organs. (Showing the beads/lumps:) These beads are like tumor sizes. The smaller the bead the less chance that cells have broken away from the tumor and moved to other parts of the body.

How big a difference does early detection make?

Now, imagine 100 women who have breast cancer from each group: (pause) early detection and late detection. Let’s compare how many women will survive thru the years.

For early detection, after 5 years, 98 women will still be alive. For late detection, after 5 years only, 10 women will still be alive.

For early detection, after 10 years, 95 women will still be alive. For late detection, after 10 years, 2 women will still be alive.

For early detection, after 20 years, 92 women will still be alive. For late detection, after 20 years, it is unlikely that any women will still be alive.

Clearly early detection made a life and death difference for those number of women.