Pink October

Why pink

October is breast cancer awareness month. All over the world, the pink ribbon says the same thing: talk about it, get checked, support the people going through it.

A radio that plays all night reaches a lot of people. So until 31 October, the live dot on Hosted Radio is pink, and a pink line on the home page leads here.

The numbers

• 2.4 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024.
• 694,000 people died of it that year.
• It is the most common cancer in women in 164 countries out of 186.
• About 8 in 10 cases occur in women with no specific risk factor other than sex and age.
• Men get it too: about 0.5 to 1% of cases.

Source: World Health Organization, breast cancer fact sheet.

Found early, treated better

Fewer people die when breast cancer is detected and treated early. A lump is more likely to be treated successfully when it is small and has not spread.

Most breast lumps are not cancer. The only way to know is to have it checked.

What to look for

• A lump or a thickening in the breast, often without pain.
• A change in the size, shape or look of the breast.
• Dimpling, redness, pitting or other changes in the skin.
• A change in the nipple or the skin around it.
• Abnormal or bloody fluid from the nipple.

If you notice one of these, see a doctor, even if it does not hurt.

Screening

Screening rules change from one country to another. Ask your doctor what applies to you and when to start.

In France, women aged 50 to 74 are invited for a mammogram every two years, at no cost.

If your life runs on late nights, tours and travel, the appointment is easy to push back. Book it like a gig: a date, a time, no cancelling.

Where to find help, or give

• Ruban Rose, France
• Breast Cancer Now, United Kingdom
• Breast Cancer Research Foundation, United States

This page is not medical advice. The pink leaves on 1 November. The reason stays.