Are you a woman over 40? If so, do you get regular mammograms? Breast cancer is an epidemic affecting women, although some men can contract it. According to the American Cancer Society, “breast cancer is a malignant tumor that begins in the cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that can grow (invade) surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. The disease affects women almost exclusively, but men can also contract it” (Breast Cancer). Today, many women are diagnosed with breast cancer. It has become the most common type of cancer among women, regardless of ethnicity or background. There are many risk factors that can cause breast cancer. Factors such as family history, obesity, chemicals in foods, reduced breastfeeding, hormones, smoking, exposure to pollutants, and lack of exercise or physical activity are some of the causes of breast cancer. Breast cancer, if diagnosed early, can be cured. With so many problems in the world today, many women do not have health insurance to get checked for breast cancer. In this article I intend to discuss the causes of breast cancer, why so many women with breast cancer are uninsured, what health care reform will do for women with breast cancer, and where uninsured women can go for help. screening or prevention.Today 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer (Cancer Care). So why are so many women diagnosed with breast cancer? Could it be that many women today are starting to undergo breast cancer screening earlier than they did years ago? With new technologies and earlier screening of younger women, doctors are doing a better job of detecting breast cancer. With early detection, the lower the stage of breast cancer, the lower the stage, the better… middle of paper… once it is fully established, the number of women with cancer should decrease breastfed and uninsured. Works Cited “Breast Cancer.” cancer.org. American Cancer Society, January 6, 2012. Web. February 22, 2012. "Cancer Treatment Center." metrohealth.org. MetroHealth and Web. February 22, 2012. “Breast Cancer Information.” njha.com. npndWeb. February 22, 2012 Bradley, C.J., Neumark, D., Shickle, L.M., et al., “Differences in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer: Experiences of Insured and Uninsured Women in a Safety Net Setting,” Survey, Fall 2008 45(3) :323–39.healthreform.gov