In the Midst of Stage 4 Breast Cancer Battle, Shannen Doherty Shares Information Every Woman Should Know About the Disease

Related: Shannen Doherty's Dear Friend is Perfect Example of the Kind of Sisterhood of Support Needed When Battling Metastatic Breast Cancer

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness month and Doherty is doing her part to educate people about the disease. She took to Instagram to share stats around the disease that every woman should know. In a beautiful, sunlit photo, the stunning actress spoke on the widespread nature of this disease. She wrote: “Breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer (behind skin cancer) among American women. In the U.S., about 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. A man's lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 883.

• In 2020, an estimated 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., and approximately 2,620 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men.

• As of January 2020, there are more than 3.5 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S.

• Breast cancer death rates are the second highest (behind lung cancer) of all cancer-related deaths for women in the U.S. #breastcancerawareness”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGTJGVhh4dt/

Doherty’s transparency while fighting her disease, and boldness in action doing things like wearing a scarf on the red carpet, versus a wig have likely been a source of comfort and solidarity to others fighting breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Statistics

As Doherty wrote, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed among women in the U.S., just after skin cancer. The ACS notes that breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women, after lung cancer.

According to the ACS, the average risk of a woman in the U.S. getting breast cancer at some point in her life is 13%. So, as, Doherty said, there is a 1 in 8 chance a woman will develop breast cancer.

Apart from prevalence, other breast cancer statistics are particularly notable primarily, the difference in mortality rate among Black women and non-Black women who get this disease. Black women have substantially higher mortality rates when it comes to breast cancer, as well as other cancers.

Breast Cancer Surgeon Explicitly Lays Out Ways We Can Close the Gap in Racial Disparity: "Access to Care is Key!"

Shannen’s Fight

Doherty has said how cancer has led her to take stock of her life, and she has been open and vocal with fans during her second cancer journey, just as she was during her first. For metastatic breast cancer, doctors focus on shrinking tumors, and maintaining a good quality of life for the patient. There is currently no cure for metastatic breast cancer. But, there is hope.

Shannen Doherty, 49, Questioned Her Karma After Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis: 'I Started Taking Stock of My Life'

With voices like Doherty’s elevating the plight of this disease, and with more immunotherapy treatments and research underway, there are, hopefully, brighter days ahead for those who receive a breast cancer diagnosis. We’re thankful to Doherty for continuing to raise awareness around this disease.

How One Woman Survived Mestastatic Breast Cancer

One amazing woman, Judy Perkins, managed to beat metastatic breast cancer. Using immunotherapy treatments, Perkins was the first-known person to beat this disease. She has been called an “exceptional responder,” based on how well she received immunotherapy. Perkins is a source of hope for all who are fighting stage four breast cancer.

An Immunotherapy Breakthrough: The Judy Perkins Story

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