For people with a high risk of breast cancer—through positive family history or some other factor, you might be wondering if there is something you can do to mitigate that risk. Turns out there are some steps and lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Table of Contents
Healthy weight:
Increased body weight and higher BMI in adults are linked to higher risk of breast cancer, especially after menopause. The American Cancer Society recommends that adult women maintain their weight in a normal range to decrease their risk of cancer. Weight should be maintained through a balance of dietary modification and sufficient physical workout.
Around 18% of cancers that are diagnosed in the US are related to excess weight, alcohol consumption, poor nutrition and lack of physical inactivity, and can, therefore, be prevented with dietary and lifestyle modification.
Workout:
Physical workout routine helps to maintain weight and keeps the body healthy. Studies have shown positive correlation between vigorous physical activity and decreased risk of cancer. Therefore, be sure to get in a workout or two in a week. The recommendation of The American Cancer Society is to get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity workout spread throughout the week; alternatively, 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity should suffice.
Exceeding the upper limit of 300 minutes is even better.
Moderate activity qualifies as activity that makes you breathe hard. For instance, brisk walk, which causes a slight increase in breathing and heart rate. A good criterion is that you should be able to talk during moderate activity—but not sing.
Vigorous activity qualifies as activities performed at higher intensity. The heart rate is faster during vigorous activities, as is the breathing rate, and the person sweats more during them.
Increased breast feeding:
The risk of breast cancer is decreased in women who breastfeed. Therefore, for mothers, breastfeeding should take priority over bottle-feeding for their own health as well. Babies should be breastfed for several months to add the benefit of mitigation of breast cancer risk. The longer you breastfeed, the higher the protection.
Quit smoking:
Smoking cigarettes is an independent risk factor for breast cancer. Smoke contains hundreds of carcinogens that can increase the chances of breast cancer. In fact, research suggests a link between smoking and breast cancer, especially in premenopausal women.
Exposure to radiation and pollution: there is a high dose of radiation in many medical imaging techniques like computerized tomography (CT). Repeated exposure to radiation such as that seen in CT can put one at risk of breast cancer. The risk can be decreased by making sure that you don’t go for unnecessary investigations that expose one to radiation.
Limit the dose of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT):
HRT after menopause can increase the risk of breast cancer. Use of combination hormone therapy for more than three to five years is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. For women taking hormone replacement pills for symptoms of menopause, a frequent check-up is necessary. Moreover, they should talk to their healthcare provider about the non-pharmacological options to manage the symptoms. If, however, your doctor decides that the benefits outweigh the risks, then the lowest possible dose should suffice.
Genetic testing and counselling:
Breast cancers have a high association with family history; it is due to a gene that increases the risk, known as the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 genes. Other genes associated with increased risk include: PALB2, ATM, PTEN, TP53 and CHEK2. Testing for these genes is done less often, however, can be considered in certain situations.
Men and women who carry the BRCA genes are said to have hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC) syndrome.
The risk of cancer with this gene is many folds, and not only of breast cancer, but also of ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer among others in women. In men, there is increased risk of prostate, and pancreatic cancers among others.
If you have a close family member (mother, sister, aunt) who was diagnosed with breast cancer, you might consider getting a risk assessment tool, which helps your doctor get a better idea about your risk of having a gene mutation.
In very high-risk cases, you might consider getting genetic counselling, and if need be, genetic testing done, however, be clear about what the genetic testing can tell you.
Regular self-exam and medical care:
One of the best ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer, is to do regular self-examinations and screenings. For breast cancer, monthly self-exam can help you observe any changes quite early on. Women should perform self-examination monthly, after they hit puberty. For women over the age of 40 years, annual mammograms can help increase the chances of catching the cancer early.
If you have discovered a lump in your breast, or you would like to know more about your risk of getting breast cancer, then you can consult a top breast surgeon to aid you. Book an appointment with top breast surgeon in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042-3890-0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT professional for your concerns.
