Breast Cancer Risk Factors for Women

Breast Cancer Risk Factors for Women

By Laura Mims

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in American women, with the exception of skin cancer. While some risk factors can be eliminated through changes in lifestyle, others are not so easy to overcome. Understanding your risk for developing breast cancer is essential for early detection and diagnosis.

There is no known cause of breast cancer. However, we do know that there are certain risk factors that are linked to this disease. Simply having one or more of these factors does not mean that you will develop this type of cancer. Understanding your risks can empower you to make lifestyle changes and become vigilant about administering self breast exams and scheduling your routine mammogram.

Gender and age play a big role in determining your risk for breast cancer. Women are much more likely to develop this disease than men. In fact, only about 1% of all diagnosed cases involve men. Breast cancer is most commonly found in women ages 55 and over. Routine screening becomes even more important as we age.

If you have a mother, sister, or daughter who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, you are at a higher risk for developing this disease as well. However, it is important to keep in mind that a large percentage of women who are diagnosed, have no family history. Researchers have found that a familial mutation in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can not only put you at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, but other cancers as well.

Breast cancer is found more often in women who have had no children or did not have their first child until after the age of 30, than those who birthed children at a younger age. If you began menstruation before the age of 12 or experienced menopause after the age of 55, you are at a higher risk for developing this type of cancer.

We all know that being overweight is unhealthy. Those women with a Body Mass Index (BMI) higher than 25 are at a higher risk for breast cancer than those women who maintain a lower BMI, especially after menopause. Extra fat cells, especially those around the waist, mean more estrogen in the body, which may help cancer cells grow. Losing weight and exercising can be difficult but it is essential to maintain a healthy weight throughout your lifetime.

Eating a healthy diet will not only help you manage your weight, but may also boost your immune system and help to keep your risk of cancer as low as possible. Incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet. Try to limit your fat intake and make healthy choices when eating out. While more research is needed, studies suggest that what we eat and how much we eat may affect our chances of developing breast cancer.

If you are a smoker or drink more than one alcoholic beverage a day, you should stop. Smoking and drinking in excess are linked to many types of cancer. Consult your physician for valuable information and tips on quitting smoking.

If you are concerned about any of these risk factors, talk with your physician. He or she may make recommendations for early diagnostic screenings or assist you with implementing lifestyle changes. With new treatments and early diagnosis, we are better able to find and treat breast cancer so that women have an increased chance for a complete recovery.

Laura Mims is a writer for FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, which specializes in oncology, cancer care and cancer treatment in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors for Women

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'Triple Negative' Breast Cancer

'Triple Negative' Breast Cancer

By Dr. Eric Brown

Breast cancers are not all the same and they behave differently. To effectively target breast cancer cells with the right therapy requires that we identify the cancer subtype. By knowing the subtype and which genes the cancer expresses, we know which drugs to use, as different receptors accept different drugs.

While some subtypes lend themselves well to very specific targeted types of treatment, Triple Negative Breast Cancers (TNBCs) do not. TNBCs do, however, respond to other types of treatment. This article looks at the population that is most likely to be in the TNBC group.

Breast cancer tissue is typically tested for specific receptors to estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (her2-neu). The presence of any of these receptors, allows for targeted therapy. Targeted therapy utilizes drugs that recognize these receptors, thereby affecting only those cancer cells.

Estrogen or progesterone receptors are treated with what is called endocrine therapy. The most recognized drug used to target either of these receptors is tamoxifen. In post-menopausal women, drugs called aromastase inhibitors (Arimidex, Femara, Aromasin) perform a similar task of essentially blocking the bodies own estrogen from binding to and stimulating cancer cells that may be circulating in the body or at the site of the original tumor.

The presence of these receptors is a favorable prognostic indicator. The presence of the HER2 receptor is actually a poor prognostic indicator, suggesting a more aggressive disease. A relatively recent breakthrough in breast cancer treatment was the discovery of Herceptin, a drug that targets this receptor. While still suggesting more aggressive disease, the use of Herceptin, along with chemotherapy, has had a remarkably positive impact on the treatment of those cancers that posses this receptor.

Triple Negative Breast Cancers (TNBC), don't have any of these receptors. Thus, there is no effective targeted therapy. 10-20% of all invasive breast cancers are 'Triple Negative'. Younger women and African American women are more likely to develop this subtype of breast cancer.

In addition, women with a BRCA1 mutation are more likely to be 'triple negative'. In fact, the diagnosis of TNBC is now an indication to consider genetic testing. In addition, these subtypes of breast cancers respond differently to therapies. TNBC's tend to respond very well to chemotherapy. Thus, the indications for chemotherapy in this subgroup tends to include even small, lymph-node-negative patients.

A major focus of current research is trying to find drugs to interfere with the growth of TNBC, as well as discover new targets that might exist in this subtype. By identifying Support groups of TNBC patients have formed. For information go to http://www.tnbcfoundation.org.

About the Author

Dr. Eric Brown has twice been voted "Top Doc" in the Detroit Metro area. He is certified in breast ultrasound by the American Society of Breast Surgeons, is trained in Oncoplastic Surgery (plastic surgery for the treatment of breast disease), and is a member of The American Society of Breast Surgeons and The American Society of Breast Disease.

Dr. Brown is the Director of the Breast Care Center, as well as, The Center of Excellence Director for Breast Care, at Beaumont Hospital. His clinic is Comprehensive Breast Care in Troy, MI.

'Triple Negative' Breast Cancer

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Breast Cancer And How It Can Be Diagnosed

Breast Cancer And How It Can Be Diagnosed

By Joseph Ezie Efoghor

The diagnosis of breast cancer is made only after all careful and thorough examinations of both breasts have been done. Usually both physical, radiographic or infra-red and laboratory examinations are carried out before arriving at a conclusive diagnosis. These have to be examined by the doctor who would decide whether the cells are normal or distorted by cancerous growth.

Physical examination

This is usually done by checking both breasts to see if there are abnormalities in their shape, size, colour, etc. They are checked for unusual rashes, lumps, dimpling, nodules, etc. The nipples may be squeezed to check for fluid discharge.

Besides, should there be any lump (whether small or big), the shape and texture is checked to be sure if it is benign or malignant cancer. Malignant lumps are likely to be hard, firmly attached and odd, whereas benign tumours are likely to be movable, soft and smooth.

Mammography

This is the radiographic or infra-red examination of the breasts to detect abnormalities. Abnormalities to look out for include lumps or precancerous cells. It is advisable for women who are already 40 years or older to have mammograms every 1 or 2 years. This usually helps to detect any strange development even before they become palpable or visible to the naked eyes.

Mammothermography

This is another way of detecting cancerous cells. It involves measuring the amount of heat given off by the breast, using infra-red photography. Usually the amount of blood supplied to the cancerous cells is higher than that supplied to the surrounding normal cells. This method can be used for the early detection of breast cancer.

Biopsy

This is the removal of some tissues of breast for special examination for the purpose of diagnosing breast cancer. This can either be aspiration, excisional, needle or punch biopsy.

Ultrasound

Ultrasound are ultrasonic waves used for the examination of interior organs of the body. This can also be used to determine whether the lump felt on palpation of the breasts is cancerous or not. The computer pictures produced would show the type of lump, if it is solid or just a cyst.

Laboratory investigations

Apart from the afore-mentioned examinations, laboratory investigations could be ordered to determine the actual cause of the cancer. Some of the tests that could be done include hormone receptor test to determine if the tumour is caused by oestrogen or progesterone or both; and HER2/neu test to determine whether the tumour is caused by HER2/neu protein.

However, diagnosis should not be made in haste until all necessary investigations are carried out. This is because some conditions of the breast may resemble cancer: to avoid wrong diagnosis and danger arising from the application of wrong therapy, thorough investigations have to be done. After the investigations, the results are interpreted by the doctor before prescription of drugs and treatments are commenced.

Join My Health Forum to learn more on how to take care of your health. Joseph Ezie Efoghor is a Registered Nurse and Safety Officer. To get more of his write-ups, visit http://www.africannursesforum.com/blog

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Breast Cancer and Natural Options

Breast Cancer and Natural Options

By David J Foreman

Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. To date, modern medicine is still taking the invasive approach to preventing the disease. Prevention should be built around understanding the disease including such things as; knowing the risk factors and lifestyle changes (including my 4-Pillars of Great Health).

Please don't take me the wrong way, I believe there is a time and place for modern medicine. The modern medical world does-in most cases-have our best interest at heart. My regret is that too often it (modern medicine) looks at the surface of health instead of the root of the problem. There should be more focus on education about lifestyle changes and less spent on potentially bogus research.

Who gets Breast Cancer?

Remarkably, some women who have one or more risk factors never get breast cancer. And most women who do get breast cancer don't have any risk factors at all. The crazy fact is-about 70% of women with breast cancer have no known risk factors. This is even more reason to live a healthier lifestyle. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

Things you can't change

Age (risk rises as you get older)

Genetics

Sex (100 times more common in women)

Race (Whites more than African-American, Asian, Hispanic and American Indian)

Menstrual Periods (women who begin before 12 or end after the age(s) of 55)

Breast lesions (previous breast biopsy with abnormal cells)

Things you can change (if it isn't too late)

Child Birth (Either not having a child or having one after the age of 30)

Birth Control Pill use

Hormone Therapy

Not breast-feeding (breast-feeding lowers the risk)

Alcohol Use (especially 2 or more drinks per day)

Being Overweight

Exercise (increased activity decreases your risk)

Remember, risk factors are just that-having one or more of these will increase the possibility of developing the condition. Having any one of these isn't necessarily a sentence of doom, but should be treated as a wake-up call to take better care of you.

The following is based on "what would the Herbal Pharmacist do if he had this condition?" I choose to start with the following comments:

1. The majority of women with breast cancer have no known risk factors

2. No matter where the condition is-breast, colon, lung, etc.-CANCER can be life threatening.

3. Modern medicine does acknowledge that lifestyle choices (being overweight, smoking, eating habits, not enough exercise, etc.) increase your risk of developing cancer.

Having stated these (obvious to many) points, I am drawn to one conclusion: Lifestyle is the one constant in the majority (probably all-but I don't have the time to look it up) of the forms of cancer we get. If we could just change certain things about how we live (LIFESTYLE) we probably wouldn't get cancer. In past articles on cancer I stated that you won't get cancer if your immune system is functioning optimally. Cancer cells are abnormal cells. If your immune system was working the way it should, it would identify the bad cells and destroy them. I believe that because of the many lifestyle choices we make (not following my 4-Pillars of Great Health), we place our bodies in harms way by decreasing the effectiveness of our immune system.

As I state, the 4-Pillars are Supplements, Diet, Activity and Spirituality. Let's start with Dietary supplements. Whether I have this condition or I am looking to not develop it, I would look to the same basic supplements. Doses may change based on your condition and its severity. (Someone with Stage IV cancer would be more aggressive with dosing than someone who is just looking at prevention) This is the laundry list of supplement you should consider:

Green Tea

Melatonin

Lignans (Flax)

EPA/DHA (Fish oil)

I3C (comes from cruciferous veggies) (besides diet, use cruciferous extracts)

IP-6

DIM

Calcium D-Glucarate

Iodine (or other natural sources of this mineral)

Maitake Mushroom (extract-I prefer D-Fraction from Maitake Products)

Vitamin D3

Vitamin A (use caution-high doses are linked to liver damage)

CoQ10

Turmeric

Of these listed supplements, many can be purchased in "breast health" supplements. Examples such as Advanced Breast Support (M.D. Select) and Healthy Cells Breast (Enzymatic Therapy) would be a great step in the right direction. I would use these as part of my foundation when building the Herbal Pharmacist Dietary supplement program.

The next level up would be to use a good antioxidant targeting your condition. Supplements like Super Critical Antioxidant (New Chapter) would be a great fit. You may wish to add more antioxidants if you wish to be more aggressive. Finding a combination antioxidant which contains CoQ10, A, and maybe the herbs Green Tea and Turmeric would be great. I also throw Flor*Essence Tea into this level. This amazing tea is ALWAYS part of my supplement recommendations for those with cancer concerns. Not only is it a great antioxidant, but also possesses detoxification properties. I especially like its ability to work on cleansing the lymphatic system. This system is critical in all forms of cancer, but especially breast cancer. I have had great success using this tea on a daily basis. Doses ranging from 1-2 ounces per day to the more aggressive 4-8 ounces per day (very severe cases) (this large dose will usually cause side effects like digestive discomfort and diarrhea)

The third level of supplementation would be your fish oil supplement. The jury is still out on how much is enough without going overboard (no pun intended). I usually recommend we consume 2-3 grams per day as part of maintaining great health. Perhaps 5-10 grams per day would be considered the high end for a more aggressive approach.

Even though a probiotic is not listed above, I believe we all should be taking a daily supplement of these friendly bacteria. There isn't any research to say it helps, but with more "good guys" in your digestive system, your body can focus on doing positive work instead of energy on another health issue that my crop up due to insufficient friendly bacteria. Look for a guaranteed delivery product like Reuteri Pearls (Nature's Way) or MD Select for blended formulations.

As I always preach-you can't do just one Pillar and expect to be a healthy individual. Let's take a quick look at other recommendation for those concerned with Breast Cancer.

Diet

I feel like a broke record, but here it goes. Throw away and stop consuming refined foods. (Especially Sugar and flour based products) I define a refined foods as a food that isn't in its original state-Don't Eat It! (Pasta, bread, bagels, refined oils, etc.) You can eat: Whole foods! Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, meats (organic lean cuts), chicken (organic), eggs (organic) and fish (not too much because of heavy metal toxicity) I prefer being heavy on the fruits and veggies and lighter on the animal proteins. If you are having trouble with the fruits and veggies, then buy powdered supplements that contain fruit and vegetable extracts. If you're into soy, eat fermented soy products like tofu. (I recommend staying away from soy because there are too many conflicting studies about it being beneficial or harmful-especially with estrogen positive forms of cancer)

Activity

Studies show that exercise reduces breast cancer risk. I teach in my seminars that regardless of health challenge you are fighting or preventing to walk briskly 30-45 minutes per day. Brisk walking is defined like this: If you are walking with someone and talking, you should be having trouble catching your breath. According to the American Cancer Society website ( www.cancer.org ) one study found that as little as 1 hour and 15 minutes to 2 and a half hours of brisk walking per week reduced the risk by 18%. Their recommendation is you exercise for 45 to 60 minutes 5 or more days a week

Mind/Spirit

I have covered the power of prayer and the belief in GOD before. I think that the majority of us understand the power of religion (whatever you may follow) and our overall health outcome. I recommend we all take a deeper look into our hearts and souls to help us be healthier individuals. What about the mind/body connection? My favorite source for this is Louise Hay. Louise Hay believes there is a mental or emotional link to our health (and so do I). I recommend you get her book(s) and begin working on replacing your negative thought/emotion with a positive one. Too often we overlook the mind/spirit component of health. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired then there is no time like the present to start.

Breast Cancer and Natural Options

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Diet for Breast Cancer

Diet for Breast Cancer

By Shannon Dipple

Following a diet for breast cancer is an excellent way to fight the disease, whether you already have it or you want to reduce your risk of developing it. Among all cases of cancer in women, breast cancer is by far the most common and many women lose their lives each year trying to battle the condition. Scientists and researchers are hard at work to find a cure, but until then, living a healthy lifestyle and sticking to a nutrition packed, cancer fighting diet are the most effective ways to prevent the disease and to handicap its growth in existing cases.

How Can a Diet Help Fight Breast Cancer?

It's simple: You are what you eat. Eating a healthy diet is important for everyone, not just those dealing with cancer. There are chemicals and nutrients in our food that when eaten can help turn our bodies into a cancer fighting machine. The human body is a miraculous thing and it has its own way off fighting and warding off disease as long as you are giving it the fuel it needs to do so.

What's in My Food?

A number of nutrients and chemicals found in different types of food seem to help the body fight and defend itself against breast cancer. The ties between nutrition and breast cancer are linked to several agents in our food, most notably phytochemicals.

Phytochemicals

A number of chemicals found in plant-based foods are known to promote overall health and help prevent disease. Those chemicals, known as phytochemicals, do a great service to our bodies when we eat them in abundance. Thousands of known phytochemicals exist in our food and should be included in a cancer fighting diet as each has a different purpose and benefit to the body.

What Do Phytochemicals Do?

Phytochemicals actually do many helpful things for our body including:

Provide Antioxidant Activity - most phytochemicals induce antioxidant activity, which protects our body's cells against oxidative damage and greatly reduce the risk of developing many types of cancer, including breast cancer.

Prevent Pathogen Adherence - Many phytochemicals stick to cell walls, which in turn prevents pathogens from adhering to the cells and causing the development of disease.

Interfere with DNA - several phytochemicals have the ability to prevent the replication of a cell's DNA. This basic action is a great help in preventing the replication of cancer cells and can slow or stop the development of the disease.

What's in a Cancer Fighting Diet?

Unlike diets for weight loss or that lower your cholesterol, a solid anti-cancer diet does not focus on taking away foods that you love. The key to this healthy diet regimen is to include an abundance of foods that are both healthy for you and that inhibit the spread, growth and development of breast cancer.

What You Should Be Eating

If you are looking to begin following a nutrient rich breast cancer fighting diet, base your meals and snacks around these guidelines regarding types of food and number of servings per day.

Fiber - On average, Americans only consume about 12g of fiber per day. Cancer research shows that increasing that amount to 25-30g each day can be a great asset in fighting breast cancer. Research suggests that those who are getting more fiber reduce their risk of breast cancer by nearly 11%. The best fiber supplement by far is fruits and vegetable, which contain large natural amounts of fiber.

Fruits and Vegetables - Nutritionists recommend that you increase the well-known 'five servings a day' guideline to nine or more. This is because fruits and vegetables are incredible natural sources of fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants, essential elements in a diet for breast cancer. Fruits and veggies that are most recommended for their cancer fighting abilities include:

broccoli

brussel sprouts

cabbage

tomatoes

grapefruits

kale

collards

raspberries

Dairy Products - Research suggests that one to two servings of low fat dairy per day in a diet for breast cancer whelps increase your intake of conjugated linoleic acid which is said to promote anti-cancer activity.

Nuts - Including nuts in your diet several times a week will not only help increase your fiber intake but also provides you with monounsaturated fats which are essential to a diet for breast cancer as they help fight the development of this disease.

Fish - Several types of fish are an excellent addition to a cancer fighting diet including salmon, sardines, mackerel and tuna. These fish contain an abundance of Omega-3 fatty acids that improve blood flow, lower the risk of breast cancer and may help improve the body's response to chemotherapy.

Whole Grains - Nutritionists suggest eating at least 3-6 servings of whole grain each day as part of a cancer fighting diet. This is because it helps to increase fiber intake and can help lower estrogen levels.

While starting a diet for breast cancer may sound difficult, incorporating these phytochemical and antioxidant-rich foods has immeasurable benefits to fighting and preventing cancer of the breast. Most of the foods included in this type of diet are flavorful and enjoyable so have no fear about tasteless, bland meals. Changing your diet to increase your intake of certain substances will not guarantee that you will not develop breast cancer, but it does help dramatically lower your risk. It also helps fight existing breast cancer and may help the body be more receptive to treatments. http://www.cancer-aware.com

Diet for Breast Cancer

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