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 October is Breast Cancer
Awareness Month
Defend Yourself Against Breast Cancer
One in seven women will develop breast cancer over her lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Only skin cancer affects more female victims. Learning about breast cancer, making healthy lifestyle choices, and following recommended screening guidelines may help control your risk.
Understand the Risks
The cause of breast cancer remains a mystery, but the following factors may increase a person's likelihood of developing the disease.
Gender. Breast cancer is 100 times more common in women than in men.
Age. Eighty percent of breast cancer cases affect women over 50.
Family history. Having a blood relative with the disease elevates the risk. If a sister, mother, or daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer, a woman's risk may double.
Personal history. Individuals who have had breast cancer once stand a much higher chance of getting a new cancer later. Also, those whose menstrual periods began before age 12 or ended after 55 have an elevated risk.
Preventive Measures
While some risk factors may be out of your control, you do have the power to affect others. Consider the following steps to help reduce your chance of developing breast cancer.
Discuss hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with your doctor. Not only can HRT increase breast cancer risk, it also boosts the risk of heart disease, blood clots, and stroke.
Limit alcohol use. Drinking one alcoholic beverage a day may translate to a slightly heightened risk; consuming two to five drinks a day could amplify the risk one-and-a-half times.
Maintain a healthy weight. Although the exact connection between extra pounds and breast cancer remains unclear, overweight women appear to have a higher risk, especially if they are past menopause, gained the weight in adulthood, and carry the weight in the waist area.
Exercise regularly. Many experts agree that regular exercise reduces the risk of breast cancer. One study showed as little as an hour and 15 minutes of brisk walking every week could decrease the risk by 18%. Walking 10 hours per week dropped the risk even more.*
Eat a healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber and packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and nutrients that may help protect you from cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Protect Your Health
In addition to making lifestyle choices that limit your risk of developing breast cancer, such as maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and avoiding alcohol, getting regular screenings can help find breast cancer early, when it is most treatable.
The American Cancer Society recommends that women at average risk for breast cancer have a mammogram and a clinical breast exam every year starting at age 40. Women in their 20s and 30s should receive a clinical breast exam at least every three years. Women who have an increased risk of breast cancer may want to talk to their doctors about early detection. All women, regardless of their age and risk factors, should report any breast changes to their health care providers immediately.
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