Rethink Breast Cancer has created a hilariously hot video to raise awareness about the importance of breast cancer exams.

Scary stats:

-In the United States, is estimated that about 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women. The term “invasive” refers to a cancer that has already grown beyond the layer of cells where it started as opposed to the “non-invasive” carcinoma, which is the earliest form of breast cancer. About 57,650 women will be diagnosed with this non-invasive breast cancer.

-A nutritious, low-fat diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. Fat triggers estrogen production that can cause tumor growth; therefore a high-fat diet increases the risk of breast cancer.

-With as little as four hours of exercise per week, a woman can begin to lower her risk of breast cancer.

Some of the major breast cancer risk factors are hormonal and related to a woman’s reproductive history. The greatest risk results from breast tissue being consistently exposed to estrogen, as it is through long periods of uninterrupted menstrual or ovulatory cycles.

Hormonal factors that increase risk include:

* the birth of a first child after the age of 30 or not having children at all
* menstruation starting at an early age (before 12)
* late menopause (after 55)
* taking birth control pills and /or hormone replacement therapy (although debated, many experts say that this slightly increases one’s risk)

Evidence shows that lifestyle factors that increase estrogen levels increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
Lifestyle factors that increase risk include:

* more than mild or moderate alcohol consumption (alcohol may raise estrogen in the blood)
* obesity with excess caloric and fat intake (fatty tissue may raise estrogen levels)
* more than moderate meat intake (meat may raise estrogen levels and be a potential source of gene mutagens). Studies have shown an 18% difference in risk of breast cancer between those with the highest and those with the lowest levels of meat intake.

Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women; accounting for nearly 1 in 4 cancers diagnosed in US women, according to the American Cancer Society. In 2009, approximately 40,170 women were expected to die from breast cancer.

The good news is that The Annual Report to the Nation states cancer death rates and incidence rates are dropping. This is largely due to the decline in the most common forms of cancer. The drop may be a sign that prevention and early detection efforts are having an impact.

Brooklyn punk rock act Shiragirl is leading the way in raising awareness through music. The band’s song “Stomp It Out” is the official 2010 breast cancer awareness song.

“As a band of all women, we are all at risk for and affected by this disease, and we have seen so many friends and family affected. We are proud to contribute anything we can to help move towards finding the cure,”  lead singer Shira tells Planet Verge.

Catch Shira and her girls (including Suicide City bassist and former Planet Verge zine cover girl Jennifer Arroyo on bass) on tour with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and The Sleeping.

Get dates and listen to the Lil’ Wayne remix of “Stomp It Out” at www.MySpace.com/Shiragirl

Not content with just spreading the message on stereos, Shira is fashioning for a cure. Here’s what you missed at The School of Rock in New Jersey:

*Words by Joelle and photos by Rosina, who are both working hard editing new episodes of Planet Verge TV.

Watch Shiragirl on Planet Verge TV.

*October is breast cancer awareness month. Help save lives. Repost this article!

Photo by Randy Johnson, hairstyling by Bombshell Betty.

Well, they are.  In fact, they may well be bigger than yours.  (Unless you’re obese, then you win.  Or do you?  But I digress.)

I never really noticed how outsized they are until other people pointed it out to me.
“Dude, those are huge!  Are those real?”

Irritating?  Yes.  Degrading?  A smidgen.  But I’ve grown accustomed to the commentary, as well as to the subject–though I still cringe at how much attention they garner if I wear anything fitted or go for a sprint.  Men don’t seem to mind them, but they still make me self-conscious, and I feel like women silently judge my character (or, let’s face it, lack thereof) because of them.

But, like most things one cannot change without invasive surgery, I’ve grown to embrace them.  You can too, if you ask nicely.

God, you perverts.  I was talking about my calves. But since that got your attention, it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so go here and make sure mine–and yours, and your mom’s–stay healthy.

Betsey Johnson is releasing a limited-edition tote bag tomorrow here.

A portion of proceeds will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund.

Support your fellow sisters, ladies!

*By Joelle, who often scours e-Bay for Betsey Johnson dresses and purses.