October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Publication
Article
Oncology Nurse EditionONCOLOGY Nurse Edition Vol 25 No 10
Volume 25
Issue 10

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization, which began its campaign in 1984, is a partnership of more than a dozen national professional medical associations, public service organizations, and government agencies that work together year-round to promote awareness of breast cancer, share up-to-date information about the disease, and provide greater access to screening services.

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization, which began its campaign in 1984, is a partnership of more than a dozen national professional medical associations, public service organizations, and government agencies that work together year-round to promote awareness of breast cancer, share up-to-date information about the disease, and provide greater access to screening services. The NBCAM board of sponsors includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute; the Oncology Nursing Society and the American Society of Clinical Oncology; patient advocacy groups such as CancerCare and Susan G. Komen for the Cure; and a number of other leading medical specialty groups. Visit the NBCAM website at www.nbcam.org for information to share with patients about different breast cancer subtypes and stages, support such as prescription-assistance programs and access to educational materials, and current media coverage of breast cancer. A wide range of breast cancer–related resources for patients and professionals also can be found on the websites of the NBCAM board of sponsors. Selected links are provided below.

• Oncology Nursing Society: Clinical Practice Resources >
Breast Cancer– Available at: http://www.ons.org/ClinicalResources/BreastCancer

• American Society of Clinical Oncology: Clinical Practice Guidelines >
Breast Cancer– Available at:http://www.asco.org/ascov2/Practice+&+Guidelines/Guidelines/Clinical+Practice+Guidelines/Breast+Cancer

• American Cancer Society: Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer >
Breast Cancer– Available at: http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/FindCancerEarly/CancerScreeningGuidelines/index

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Breast Cancer Screening–
Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm

• National Cancer Institute: FactSheet > Mammograms–
Available at:http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/mammograms

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