Online Breast Cancer Support Network

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Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What is Pink-Link Breast Cancer Support?
2. What is Pink-Link's privacy policy?
3. Is Pink-Link a nonprofit organization?
4. How can I get involved with Pink-Link breast cancer support network?
5. How can I help Pink-Link find sponsors?
6. Can I link my Website to Pink-Link?
7. Can I make a financial donation directly to Pink-Link?
8. How can I contact Pink-Link?
9. What is breast cancer?
10. What is the incidence of and mortality from breast cancer in the U.S.?
11. Who is at risk for breast cancer?
12. Does one's racial or ethnic background affect the risk of breast cancer?
13. Can diet, nutrition and exercise influence one's breast cancer risk?
14. Will drinking alcohol increase one's risk for breast cancer?
15. Are women who use birth control pills at an increased risk for breast cancer?
16. Are men at risk for breast cancer?
17. What are the signs of breast cancer?
18. What are the most common treatments for breast cancer?


What is Pink-Link Breast Cancer Support?

Pink-Link Breast Cancer Support Network provides valuable community and support resources for women affected by Breast Cancer. Pink-Link is a nonprofit organization and all breast cancer support services are free. Pink-Link's key service, our online database of Breast Cancer survivors, creates an intimate and personal link between breast cancer survivors. From our experience, this "mentor-survivor" relationship provides the essential on-going support needed to endure treatment of Breast Cancer. Please visit the Pink-Link about us page to learn more.

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What is Pink-Link's privacy policy?

Pink-Link breast cancer support network respects the privacy of our visitors. You are not required to provide any personal information to visit the public section of Pink-Link. Please visit the Pink-Link privacy policy page to learn more.

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Is Pink-Link a nonprofit organization?

Yes, Pink-Link breast cancer support network is a nonprofit organization. Please visit the Pink-Link About Us page for more information.

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How can I get involved with Pink-Link breast cancer support network?

There are several other ways for you to support Pink-Link. Please visit the Pink-Link Get Involved page to learn more. Whether you are a breast cancer survivor, a family member of a breast cancer survivor, a medical professional, a medical facility, a sponsor, advertiser, or just want to donate to help the cause, we can show you the many ways to get involved with Pink-Link breast cancer support networka.

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How can I help Pink-Link find sponsors?

The more sponsors Pink-Link has, the more services we will be able to provide breast cancer survivors and family. We appreciate your help in finding sponsors. For sponsorship information, please visit our Get Involved page.

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Can I link my Website to Pink-Link?

Yes! Anyone can link to Pink-Link.

Feel free to copy and paste the sample text below for use with your link:

Pink-Link Breast Cancer Support Network provides valuable community and support resources for women affected by Breast Cancer survivors. Visit www.pink-link.org today!

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Can I make a financial donation directly to Pink-Link?

Yes! We appreciate your donations, and they are tax deductible. Please visit the Pink-Link donate page to find out more.

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How can I contact Pink-Link?

Please feel free to contact Pink-Link with any questions or suggestions by visiting the Contact Us page here. Whether you'd like to receive or give breast cancer support, we'd love to hear from you!


Financial information about Pink-Link can be obtained by writing to us at 149 S. Barrington Ave., #734 Los Angeles, CA 90049. The Pink-Link tax ID number is 20-2884742.

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What is breast cancer?

The body is made up of many types of cells. Normally, cells grow and divide to produce more cells only when the body needs them. Sometimes cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed. These cells may form a mass of extra tissue called a growth or tumor. Tumors can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). The most common type of breast cancer begins in the lining of the ducts and is called ductal carcinoma. (What You Need to Know About Breast Cancer, NCCI Publication, National Cancer Institute)

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What is the incidence of and mortality from breast cancer in the United States?

This year, 182,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer (one every 3 minutes) and 43,300 women will die (one every 12 minutes).

A report from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that about 1 in 8 women in the United States (approximately 12.6 percent) will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. (National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.)

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Who is at risk for breast cancer?

* Most women who have breast cancer have no family history.
* More than twenty percent of breast cancers are diagnosed in women under the age of 50.
* Being a woman is the greatest risk.
* Age increases risk.
* Seventy percent of women with breast cancer have no known risk factors.
* Early detection is the key to a greater chance of survival and more treatment options.


(National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.)

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Does one's racial or ethnic background affect the risk of breast cancer?

The leading cause of death for African-American women, ages 30-54, is breast cancer. African-American women die at twice the rate of white women. Breast cancer knows no boundaries of races for attacking women with the disease. (National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.)

Caucasian, Hawaiian, and African American women have the highest levels of breast cancer risk. Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic women have a lower level of risk; their chance of developing breast cancer is less than two-thirds of the risk of Caucasian women. The lowest levels of risk occur among Korean, Native American, and Vietnamese women. ("Lifetime Probability of Breast Cancer in American Women", Cancernet, National Cancer Institute)

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Can diet, nutrition and exercise influence one's breast cancer risk?

Fat stores estrogen (some breast cancers are estrogen dependent), so the more fit and trim we are, the better our health.

Caloric intake of fat 3 times the norm (obesity) could increase the risk of breast cancer.

The risk of breast cancer is higher in industrial nations and lower in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Women who are from Asia, for example, but relocate to an industrial nation (and adopt their eating and exercise habits) will increase their breast cancer risk.

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and grains plays a role in overall better health.(Everyone's Guide to Cancer Therapy, National Cancer Institute)

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Will drinking alcohol increase one's risk for breast cancer?

Studies have shown alcohol consumption can cause between 40 - 70% increased risk of breast cancer with 2 drinks daily. (Cancer Rates and Risks, 1996, National Cancer Institute)


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Are women who use birth control pills at an increased risk for breast cancer?

A woman's risk of developing breast cancer depends on several factors, some of which are related to her natural hormones.

Hormonal factors that increase the risk of breast cancer include conditions that allow high levels of estrogen to persist for long periods of time, such as early age at first menstruation (before age 12), late age at menopause (after age 55), having children after age 30, and not having children at all.

A woman's risk of breast cancer increases with the amount of time she is exposed to estrogen. However, studies examining the use of oral contraceptives as a risk factor for breast cancer have produced inconsistent results. Most studies have not found an overall increased risk for breast cancer associated with oral contraceptive use. ("Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk, Cancer Facts", Cancernet, National Cancer Institute)

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Are men at risk for breast cancer?

Approximately 1,300 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 400 will die. While the percentage of men who are diagnosed with breast cancer is small, men should also give themselves monthly exams and note changes to their physicians. (National Breast Cancer Foundation)

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What are the signs of breast cancer?

Early breast cancer usually does not cause pain. In fact, when breast cancer first develops, there may be no symptoms at all. However, as the cancer grows, it can cause any of the following changes, which women should watch for:

* A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area.
* A change in the size or shape of the breast.
* Nipple discharge or tenderness, or the nipple pulled back (inversion) into the breast.
* Ridges or pitting of the breast (the skin looks like the skin of an orange.
* A change in the way the skin of the breast, areola, or nipple looks or feels (for example, warm, swollen, red, or scaly).

(National Cancer Institute)

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What are the most common treatments for breast cancer?

Treatment for breast cancer usually includes one or more of the following: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

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