Seven for 2007: Seven things you should know about
breast cancer risk
Newswise — There’s no one big way to reduce your
risk for breast cancer, but a combination of
approaches could make a difference, reports the
January 2007 issue of Harvard Women’s Health
Watch. Here are several factors that could
affect your risk:
Weight gain. Studies show that weight gain is a risk
factor for breast cancer after menopause. The link
is estrogen, which is believed to promote the
development of breast cancer. Fat tissue converts
precursors in the body into estrogen, keeping the
hormone in circulation even when ovarian production
stops at menopause.
Alcohol. Women who consume even a few drinks per
week raise their risk for breast cancer. Scientists
aren’t sure why; it may be that alcohol raises
estrogen levels or interacts with carcinogens.
Activity level. Exercise may help prevent breast
cancer and its recurrence in a few ways, including
by keeping weight down and decreasing the amount of
estrogen in breast tissue.
Vitamin D. There’s evidence that vitamin D helps
protect against several types of cancer, including
breast cancer.
Hormone use. Because lifetime exposure to estrogen
is a risk factor for breast cancer, there’s concern
about women’s use of birth control pills and
postmenopausal hormones. Discuss your risk with your
doctor before taking these.
Breast density. Breast density is trumped only by
age and certain gene mutations in the hierarchy of
risk factors. Digital mammography has been shown to
improve cancer detection in women with dense
breasts.
Chemoprevention. Taking the anti-estrogen drug
tamoxifen or raloxifene may cut the incidence of
breast cancer in women at increased risk for the
disease.