Breast Cancer Awareness for Female Service Members and Veterans: Your Risk is Almost Double

October is the month of pink. For 36 years, organizations like the American Cancer Society, Estée Lauder, and the Susan G. Komen Foundation (pioneers of the pink ribbon campaign) have used the month to urge women to do self breast exams and utilize mammograms for early detection of the disease that affects one in eight women.

What isn’t widely shared, however, is the increased incidence of breast cancer among female service members under the age of 35 with jobs that expose them to industrial chemicals. In a study published in the National Library of Medicine (https://rly.pt/3Cp5gEx), researchers found that women who came into contact with at least one volatile organic chemical (VOC) in her day-to-day work had a 48% increased risk of breast cancer as compared to women that had no exposure. Did you have a job that exposed you to VOC’s in the service? Women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, or fulfilling roles such as mechanics and fuel operators need to speak with their healthcare providers immediately about breast cancer screening and diagnosis.

Women of Color are Disproportionately Affected

At highest risk are non-hispanic women of color. In the general population, Black women have a 40% higher chance of dying from breast cancer than their white counterparts. This staggering difference is even more pronounced in the military since the women being diagnosed are younger and have far more aggressive types of breast cancer. The VA launched the National Women Veterans Oncology System of Excellence (https://rly.pt/3Bm4CpP) in October of last year to help address the disparity in treatment and mortality. Additionally, the Million Veterans Program(MVP) (https://rly.pt/31cWThy) was established to give researchers access to data that will help shed light on how military exposures affect illness. Women service members and veterans, and specifically women of color, have an opportunity to become better represented (https://rly.pt/3BmPB75) in medical research. With regard to breast cancer, Portland VA Medical Center project leader Shiuh-Wen Luoh submitted a research proposal to determine if breast cancer risks among female service members can be predicted. Twenty eight percent of study participants, all from the MVP, are Black women, while past studies on genetic prediction models have typically been on Caucasian women. Increasing representation is crucial to ensure proper care is afforded to women of color. Join the MVP here (https://rly.pt/3BmPB75)

Where Do You Go From Here?

Early detection is key to survival. The Military Times (https://rly.pt/3vSal5P) published an article this week giving center stage to Hendricks Thomas, a 38-year old former Marine Corps officer. Having deployed to Iraq in 2005, her doctor recommended a breast cancer screening based on Thomas’ potential exposure to VOC’s. “She has no family history of breast cancer, and when they looked for predictor proteins...she had no indicators. Worse, as she started talking with another Marine who served in her unit, Amy Ebitz, she learned Ebitz also had breast cancer, that it was also invasive, and that she also had no genetic markers” said the Times. Female service members need to advocate for themselves to ensure they receive the diagnosis and treatment required for survival.

In addition to talking to your healthcare provider, the VA also has Women Veterans Program Managers (https://rly.pt/3GuhPRb) and a call center (https://rly.pt/3GGHRB0) specifically for female vets to learn more about services and resources available. Call 1-855-VA-WOMEN today to speak with someone regarding your breast cancer concerns (https://rly.pt/3GGHRB0).

Early detection and treatment for breast cancer truly matters. We have focused on caring for others through our military service—it is time for us to practice self-care!