Breast cancer is a leading cancer faced by South African women with one in 29 women diagnosed each year with this disease. The good news is that if you detect and treat breast cancer in its early stage, you have a very good chance of fully recovering.
There are different types of breast cancer, and there are different risk factors. Some risk factors include gender, family history and age. There is nothing we can do about these risk factors.
There are however other risk factors we can manage. Have a look at the list:
- Not having children or having them later in life: Women who have had not had children, or who had their first child after age 30, have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.
- Use of birth control pills: Studies have found that women who are using birth control pills have a slightly greater risk of breast cancer than women who have never used them. Women who stopped using the pill more than 10 years ago do not seem to have any increased risk. It's a good idea to talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of birth control pills.
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), has been used for many years to help relieve symptoms of menopause and to help prevent thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). It has become clear that long-term use (several years or more) of HRT increases the risk of breast cancer and mayincrease the chances of dying of breast cancer. The breast cancer may also be found at a more advanced stage.There are few strong reasons to use HRT other than for short-term relief of menopausal symptoms. Because there are other factors to think about, women should talk with their doctors about the pros and cons of using HRT. If a woman and her doctor decide to try HRT for symptoms of menopause, it is usually best to use it at the lowest dose that works for her and for as short a time as possible.
- Not breast-feeding: Some studies have shown that breast-feeding slightly lowers breast cancerrisk, especially if the breast-feeding lasts 1½ to 2 years.
- Alcohol: Use of alcohol is clearly linked to an increased risk of getting breast cancer. CANSA suggests limiting the amount you drink to one drink a day, if at all.
- Being overweight or obese: Being overweight or obese is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer,especially for women after change of life and if the weight gain took place during adulthood. Also,the risk seems to be higher if the extra fat is in the waist area. The link between weight and breast cancer risk is complex. CANSA recommends women maintain a healthy weight throughout life.
- Lack of exercise: Studies show that exercise reduces breast cancer risk. The only question is how much exercise is needed. CANSA suggests women exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.
- High fat diets: Studies found that breast cancer is less common in countries where the typical diet is low in fat. CANSA recommends eating a healthy low fat diet that includes 5 or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day, choosing wholegrain products and limiting the amount of processed and red meats.
- Tobacco Smoke: A possible link to breast cancer is another reason to stop smoking and avoid being around secondhand smoke.
- Night Work: A few studies have suggested that women who work at night (nurses on the nightshift, for example) have a higher risk of breast cancer. This is a fairly recent finding, and more studies are being done to look at this issue.
Go to
http://www.cansa.org.za/cgi-bin/giga.cgi?cmd=cause_dir_news_item&cause_id=1056&news_id=52620&cat_id=822 for breaking news on breast cancer.
Thank you to http://www.cansa.org/ for all the wonderful work they are doing.
You can contact them TOLL FREE on 0800 226622.
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