Breast Cancer, Night Sweats and Hot Flashes
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Current statistics indicate approximately 1 in 8 women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer during the course of her lifetime and in 2017 alone, more than 250,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed. Furthermore, night sweats and hot flashes are commonplace with breast cancer and occur in 2/3 of postmenopausal women with a breast cancer history. Breast cancer and night sweats occur in 44% of women diagnosed. For most breast cancer patients, hot flash intensity is moderate to severe.
Knowing family history is vital for mapping and predicting breast cancer and night sweats. A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative – like her mother, sister, or daughter – who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. However, approximately 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations. Lauren Cahn writes a very honest and open discussion of a look back over her diagnosis and treatment 10 years later.
We’re proud to help people suffering from breast cancer and night sweats sleep better. Last year, for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we wrote about Jean, interviewing her on how she dealt with her diagnosis and how she persevered. CEO Alli wrote on her grandmother’s experience with breast cancer, too.
At Wicked Sheets, we write on the importance of sleep. Helping our customers sleep cool and dry is our priority. We’ve covered the tie between sleep and cancer prevention, too, and even your medications that could cause them. We’re proud supporters of organizations like the Susan G. Komen foundation to support breast cancer research and advocacy. For anyone seeking advice on myriad topics concerning breast cancer, visit the American Cancer Society. Consult your physician with any medical concerns or questions.
As always, sleep well, sleep wicked.
