Take Time for Your Breast Health

Reviewed by: Amaris McKnight, MD, Medical Director
October 2026

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an important reminder to pay attention to your breast health, understand your personal risk, and make sure you are up to date on recommended screening.

For people living in the Copper River region, that message is especially important.

Breast Cancer in Alaska Native Women and the Copper River Region

Breast cancer is a significant health concern for Alaska Native women, and Alaska Native Tumor Registry data show important differences between regions of Alaska.

In the Alaska Native Tumor Registry’s regional analysis covering 2004–2018, the age-adjusted breast cancer incidence rate among Alaska Native women in the Copper River/Prince William Sound Tribal Health Region was 185.1 cases per 100,000 women, compared with 135.4 per 100,000 Alaska Native women statewide.

That means the observed regional rate was approximately 37% higher than the Alaska Native statewide rate during that period. Copper River/Prince William Sound was among the Alaska tribal health regions with the highest rates of female breast cancer.

Because the population of the region is relatively small, these estimates are based on a limited number of cases and have wide statistical confidence intervals. They should therefore be interpreted cautiously. Even so, the Alaska Native Tumor Registry has consistently identified Copper River/Prince William Sound as a region with a high burden of breast cancer.

This makes breast cancer screening and timely evaluation of breast changes particularly relevant to the communities CRNA serves.

Early Detection Matters

Across the United States, 288,494 new breast cancers were diagnosed in females in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). From 2019 through 2023, approximately two-thirds were diagnosed while the cancer was still localized to the breast.

Finding breast cancer early can make an enormous difference. Current National Cancer Institute SEER data show a five-year relative survival rate of approximately 100% for localized female breast cancer, compared with 87.5% for regional disease and 33.8% for disease that has spread to distant parts of the body.

Screening is important because breast cancer may cause no noticeable symptoms in its early stages. Mammography can identify some cancers before they can be felt or begin causing symptoms.

When Should You Get a Mammogram?

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends:

Women ages 40 through 74 should receive screening mammography every two years.

This recommendation includes women at average risk and also includes many women with common risk factors such as dense breasts or a first-degree family history of breast cancer.

Some people need an individualized screening plan. The standard USPSTF recommendation does not apply to people at very high risk because of factors such as:

• A BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation or another high-risk genetic syndrome
• Previous high-dose radiation treatment to the chest at a young age
• A personal history of breast cancer
• Certain high-risk breast lesions found on a previous biopsy

If you have these or other significant risk factors, talk with your healthcare provider about when screening should begin and whether mammography alone is appropriate.

For women age 75 and older, the USPSTF currently finds that there is not enough evidence to recommend for or against routine screening. Decisions should be individualized based on health, risk factors, and patient preferences.

What About Dense Breasts?

Dense breast tissue can both increase breast cancer risk and make some cancers more difficult to see on a mammogram.

Mammography remains the primary screening test. The USPSTF currently finds that evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routine supplemental ultrasound or MRI solely because a woman has dense breasts after an otherwise negative mammogram.

If you have dense breasts, discuss your individual risk factors and whether additional imaging may be appropriate with your healthcare provider.

Know What Is Normal For You

Routine breast self-exams have not been shown to replace recommended breast cancer screening. However, knowing how your breasts normally look and feel can help you recognize a change that deserves medical attention.

Contact a healthcare provider if you notice:

• A new lump in the breast or underarm
• Thickening or swelling of part of the breast
• Dimpling, redness, irritation, or other new skin changes
• A new change in the size or shape of a breast
• A nipple that begins pulling inward
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk, particularly bloody discharge
• New or persistent focal breast pain
• Any other breast change that is new or unexplained

Most breast changes are not cancer. But a new breast symptom should be evaluated rather than simply watched until your next routine examination or mammogram.

Know Your Risk

The most important breast cancer risk factors are being female and increasing age, but risk varies considerably from person to person.

Other factors associated with increased risk include:

• A family history of breast or ovarian cancer
• Certain inherited genetic changes, including BRCA1 and BRCA2
• Dense breasts
• A personal history of breast cancer or certain high-risk breast conditions
• Previous radiation therapy to the chest at a young age
• Certain reproductive and hormonal factors
• Alcohol use
• Physical inactivity and excess body weight, particularly after menopause

Having risk factors does not mean you will develop breast cancer, and many people who develop breast cancer do not have an obvious risk factor other than age and sex.

Knowing your family and medical history can help you and your healthcare provider decide whether standard screening recommendations are appropriate for you or whether additional risk assessment is needed.

Breast Care at CRNA

Living in rural Alaska can make accessing specialized imaging and cancer care more complicated, but breast health can start close to home.

Copper River Native Association Primary Care can:

• Review your breast cancer risk and family history
• Determine whether you are due for screening
• Evaluate a new breast lump or other breast symptom
• Perform a clinical assessment when appropriate
• Order or coordinate recommended breast imaging
• Refer patients for specialty evaluation when needed
• Help coordinate follow-up care

CRNA does not currently perform mammography or breast ultrasound on site. When imaging is needed, the healthcare team can coordinate referral to an appropriate outside facility.

Eligible patients who need to travel for medical care may also qualify for CRNA Patient Transport between the Ahtna region and qualified Anchorage facilities. Ask CRNA about eligibility, scheduling, and available transportation resources.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Does CRNA offer mammograms in Glennallen?

No. CRNA does not currently perform mammograms or breast ultrasounds on site. CRNA Primary Care can assess your screening needs or breast concerns and coordinate appropriate imaging or specialty referrals.

I’m 40. Should I start mammograms now?

For most women, yes. The USPSTF recommends screening mammography every two years from ages 40 through 74. Your provider may recommend a different plan if you have substantially increased breast cancer risk.

What should I do if I find a lump?

Contact CRNA Primary Care or another healthcare provider rather than waiting for your next routine visit. Most breast lumps are not cancer, but a new lump should be evaluated.

I recently had a normal mammogram but now feel a lump. Should I wait until my next mammogram?

No. A new or persistent breast change should be evaluated even after a recent normal mammogram.

Should I perform a monthly breast self-exam?

You do not need to rely on a formal monthly self-exam as a breast cancer screening test. Instead, be familiar with what is normal for your breasts and report new or unexplained changes. Breast awareness does not replace recommended mammography.

I’m not sure whether a change is serious. Can I still make an appointment?

Yes. You do not need to decide whether a breast change is serious before contacting us. CRNA Primary Care can evaluate the concern and determine whether imaging or additional care is needed.

Take One Step This October

For our communities in the Copper River region, breast health deserves particular attention. Local Alaska Native cancer data demonstrate why keeping up with screening and promptly evaluating new symptoms matters.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Know your body. Know your risk. Know when you’re due for screening.

And if you are not sure where to begin, start close to home.

To schedule an appointment with CRNA Primary Care in Glennallen, call (907) 822-5241. Walk-ins are also welcome.

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• Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Alaska Native Tumor Registry. Cancer in Alaska Native People 1969–2018: The 50-Year Report.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Cancer Statistics: Female Breast Cancer.
• National Cancer Institute, Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Female Breast Cancer — Cancer Stat Facts.
• U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Breast Cancer: Screening. Final Recommendation Statement, April 2024.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms and Breast Cancer Risk Factors.

Sources

This article is for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your personal breast cancer risk and appropriate screening schedule.