Breast Cancer Awareness Month is under way

About Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Each October, health agencies, hospitals, charities and community groups use pink ribbons and pink lights to remind people about screening, explain warning signs, and raise money for research and patient support. The World Health Organization's regional office for Africa describes October as a global Pink Month for breast cancer awareness, and campaigns now run in many countries.

The campaign started as a one-week event in the United States in October 1985. The American Cancer Society co-created it with the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries, later part of AstraZeneca, and its early message was that women should get regular mammograms. The week soon grew into a month, and US presidents have regularly proclaimed October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The pink ribbon became the campaign's best-known symbol in the early 1990s.

The disease is common worldwide. WHO estimates that about 2.4 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024 and that it caused about 694,000 deaths, and it was the most common cancer in women in 164 of 186 countries. Men can develop breast cancer too, though far less often. Cancers found early are much easier to treat, which is why screening is at the center of the month.

Screening advice varies by organization. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends a mammogram every other year for women ages 40 to 74 at average risk. The American Cancer Society gives women 40 to 44 the option of yearly screening and recommends yearly mammograms from 45 to 54. People with a strong family history or other risk factors should ask a doctor about a personal plan.

Sources: American Cancer Society: Turning Awareness Into Action, 40 Years of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, World Health Organization: Breast cancer fact sheet, US Preventive Services Task Force: Breast Cancer Screening recommendation, WHO Regional Office for Africa: October designated as Pink Month. How we check dates.

How to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month

• Ask your doctor when you should start mammograms and how often to have them, based on your age and family history.
• Book an overdue screening, or help a friend or relative schedule hers and offer a ride to the appointment.
• Learn how your breasts normally look and feel, and report changes such as a new lump, skin dimpling or nipple discharge to a health professional.
• Help a neighbor in treatment with meals, rides or child care, or volunteer with a local patient-support group.
• Before buying pink-ribbon products, check how much of the price actually goes to research or patient services.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month dates