I sometimes wonder why I had breast cancer.  Statistics tell us that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime.  I am one of 5 daughters (still living),( and three sons) born to my mom & dad, so there was a chance that one of us girls would end up with breast cancer.

What is so different between me and my sisters?  We all grew up in the same household.  But, I am the only left-handed daughter and a quick Google of “breast cancer and left handedness” seems to show a correlation to increased risk of breast cancer in pre-menopausal women (based on a study in the Netherlands published in 2005), though a more detailed look seems to show no correlation between left handedness and breast cancer.  The study was fairly small.   My first diagnosis was at age 28. My second at 44.  I was pre-menopausal.

I work in a highly stressful profession.  For most of the first eight years I worked for the NYPD, I worked steady midnight or “late tours”  (1988-1992 and 1993-1995).  Studies seem to show that women who work late shifts for many years seem to have a small increased risk of breast cancer.  (Looks like I’m two for two)!  Two of my sisters are nurses (also very stressful) and have worked crazy shifts as well but I don’t believe they worked steady midnight shifts as long as I had.  I also worked “late tours” between 2004-2006, upon my promotion to Lieutenant.  Actually in any position within  the  Police Department, the tours can vary greatly.  You can work a day shift one day, an evening shift the next day, and a late tour next.

At different times, while working, I have been exposed to carcinogens (basically anything that can cause cancer) and have had a  number of X-Rays due to injuries I sustained while working.  I remember responding with my co-workers  to 20th Street & 3rd Avenue a couple days after a steam pipe explosion in 1989.  Asbestos and who knows what else, was dispersed into the air as a result of the explosion.  I remember seeing people, possibly from the Environmental Protection Agency, wearing personal protective equipment including suits and face masks, while my co-workers and I were wearing only our uniforms without so much as a dust mask.  I also remember remarking to a co-worker that “something is wrong with this picture”.  We were assigned to the location for a few nights to keep residents and on-lookers out of the area.  I was also (along with thousands of others) exposed to whatever crap was in the dust and debris from Ground Zero in the weeks following 9/11/2001.  Even on days not assigned to Ground Zero, the exposure was possible because co-workers would return from the Trade Center Site trekking the dust back to the precinct on their boots and clothing.  There were also other incidents that I responded to, including fire scenes, etc.  A lot of incidents in over a 26 year career.  As for the X-Rays, in February 1994, I slipped down wet stairs on a burglary job injuring my back, neck, and shoulders. I spent 8 days in St. Vincent’s Hospital (with an additional 4 days about a month or so later).  In the days, months, and years following, I had a number of X-Rays, MRI’s and other scans done.   Could the various exposures have anything to do with my diagnoses?  Well we already know carcinogens cause cancer and X-Rays can increase the risk of breast cancer in some women.

Here’s hoping and praying that none of my family members and friends, especially my mom, sisters, and my daughter will have to deal with a personal diagnosis of breast cancer.  I will be their 1 in 8.