Breast cancer is the one of most commonly diagnosed cancers in women in the United States and around the world. Breast cancers found in early stages often have more treatment options available and typically more favorable prognoses. Studies have shown that women who are unaware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer may delay seeking treatment and are subsequently diagnosed at later stages. This study was conducted to assess the breast cancer awareness of female students at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in order to assess the need for future educational interventions in this population.

This study used two surveys to assess demographic information and breast cancer awareness in a convenience sample of 100 female university students between the ages of 18-40. The findings of this study revealed that an overwhelming majority (94%, N= 94) of female university students surveyed had an insufficient awareness of the commons signs and symptoms of breast cancer as determined by a modified version of the Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (Breast-CAM) developed for Cancer Research UK in 2011.