Breast Cancer

Lesson 1: ALL ABOUT BREASTS: Risks, Myths & BSE

Who's Really At Risk?

We've all heard the grim statistic that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer. The good news is that this risk factor is spread over your entire lifetime. If you have 8 women having lunch together, that doesn't mean that one of them will get cancer.

The first risk associated with breast cancer is being female. Women get breast cancer 100X more than men.

The second risk is your age. The older you are, the more likely you are to develop cancer.

Another risk factor is family history. If your mom or sister or daughter had breast cancer, than you are considered "high risk". Grandmothers, aunts and other relatives increase your risk slightly. If several generations of family members have had cancer, there is the possibility that you may have a mutation (change) in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. (These genes are specifically related to breast cancer, hence, the names). It has been proven that some families have a tendency to inherit this changed gene. Everyone has the gene; it is only when it goes haywire that it become a problem. Many women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent have inherited this mutation. Genetic counseling and testing is available for those who wish to pursue this avenue of risk.

Here are the general risks associated with breast cancer:

• Early age of menstruation (your period)
• Not having children (no pregnancies)
• Late age of menopause (your period stops)
• Having your children later in life

When I was diagnosed, I went over the checklist with my doctor and thought there must be a mistake. I didn't fit any of the patterns; there was no family history and I wasn't of Jewish descent. Surprise! 70% of the women diagosed with breast cancer have none of the known risk factors. It's just the luck of the draw.

Ohter factors have been linked to breast cancer and some of them are relevant but no one factor has been shown as THE cause of breast cancer. Here are some of the elements which enter into the mix, but please, remember, not one of these things alone can cause you to get breast cancer.

• Drinking (alcohol consumption) - Too much is not good for your health in general.

• Radiation - Most radiologic tests are safe and the chances of over-exposure on one part of your body over your lifetime is remote.

• Hormonal therapy - Studies, to date, have shown that you must be on the therapy for many years for it to have an effect. This includes birth control and hormone replacement.

• Environmental factors have been the target of many studies, but to date, no major study has proved conclusively that these exposures cause breast cancer.

• Smoking - although we know smoking is bad for you, no definitive link to breast cancer has ever been established.

• Weight - Obesity and weight gain as an adult has been linked to increased risk. That doesn't mean that 5 pounds over your weight at age 18 is going to target you. It means that increased weight is not good for your health at all. Try to exercise, eat right and maintain an even, proportionate-to-your-height weight.

• Diet - Most Asian women (in China, Japan and so on) have a much lower incidence of breast cancer than Americans. This is believed to be based on their consumption of soy products and more legumes and lower fat content. Again, a healthy diet can't hurt and it sure could help. It should be noted that the consumption of soy and estrogen-based sources has come under scrutiny. So, don't run out and drink soy milk without further research.

http://www.halls.md/breast/risk.htm

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