31 Tweetable Facts About Breast Cancer for #Pinktober

(Updated for 2022)

To help our social media gurus (YOU!) get ready for #Pinktober, we’ve lovingly edited down breast cancer awareness facts to 280 characters or less including hashtags. Simply cut/paste on each day and presto! If you’re super savvy, add your own hashtag and track how many retweets and likes you get.

Happy tweeting!

1. The leading risk factor for breast cancer is simply being a woman. Women are 100x more likely to be at risk than men. #pinktober
2. 85% of breast cancer cases occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. #pinktober
3. About 5 to 10% of breast cancers can be traced to specific, inherited gene mutations, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. #pinktober
4. Men can also get breast cancer. About 2,150 are diagnosed annually – or about 1 in 1,000 men. #pinktober
5. A woman has about a 1 in 8 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. – Nat’l Cancer Institute #pinktober
6. The American Cancer Society estimates about 3.8 million women with a history of breast cancer live in the U.S. #pinktober
7. Breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer. #pinktober 
8. A top risk factor for breast cancer: Simply getting older – 79% of new cases and 88% of deaths occurred in women over 50. #pinktober
9. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer accounts for 29% of newly diagnosed cancers. #pinktober
10. On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and 1 woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes. #pinktober

Related: 5 Ways Companies Can Promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month

11. In the 1970s, breast cancer lifetime risk was one in 11 – compared to today’s one in eight. #pinktober
12. There is no evidence to support that wearing a bra causes breast cancer according to a study done in 2014. #pinktober
13. Women who are diagnosed with cancer before age 40 are 4.5 times more at risk of developing another breast cancer. #pinktober 
14. Women of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage are at a higher risk of having BRCA mutation. #pinktober
15. Myth: Everyone needs genetic screening for breast cancer. Fact: Only about 2% of women meet the guidelines for screening. #pinktober
16. Fewer than 1% of the general population have a BRCA mutation. #pinktober
17. Research suggests breastfeeding for a year or more reduces risk of breast cancer – about a 4.3% reduction for every 12 months. #pinktober
18. The risk of overweight women developing breast cancer after menopause is 1.5 times higher than in lean women. #pinktober
19. A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.#pinktober
20. The American Cancer Society continues to recommend yearly mammograms beginning at age 40. #pinktober

21. Exercise reduces breast cancer risk for women of all body types. #pinktober
22. The American Cancer Society recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week to manage risk. #pinktober
23. Drink less alcohol to avoid risk. 1 glass of wine, 1 beer or 1 hard liquor drink per day. #pinktober
24. With 8 / 10 breast lumps discovered by women themselves, don’t underestimate monthly breast self-exams. #pinktober

27. Women diagnosed with breast cancer are up to 4x more likely to develop a new cancer in the same or other breast. #pinktober
28. Women who eat a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil and mixed nuts may have a reduced risk of breast cancer. #pinktober
29. According to the National Institutes for Health, breast cancer survivors are at an increased risk of osteoporosis. #pinktober
30. The overall death rate from breast cancer decreased by 1% per year from 2013 to 2018. #pinktober
31. Breast cancer typically produces no symptoms when the tumor is small and most easily treated. #pinktober
32. More than 3.1 million US women alive today have a history of breast cancer. #pinktober
33. 5 best ways to prevent breast cancer: exercise, eat healthy, limit alcohol, quit smoking, get annual mammograms. #pinktober 

Check out Ironmark’s #Pinktober promo products to help link your brand to a great cause, and contact us if you’d like more information on how your company can show support for breast cancer awareness. 

Sources: American Cancer Society Facts and Figures, City of Hope