Breast Cancer: Who is in the High Risk Group? Being a woman and aging are the two biggest triggers of breast cancer. If a woman’s mother, sister, grandmother or aunt is a breast cancer survivor, then that woman will have a higher chance of developing breast cancer. Obesity, especially after menopause, or alcohol consumption may increase the risk of breast cancer.
The best way to fight breast cancer: early detection
The best way to deal with breast cancer is to detect it early, and early breast cancer is the most curable. The American Cancer Society recommends the following ways to detect breast cancer early to help you stay healthy
Women over the age of 40 should have annual mammograms.
Women in their 20s and 40s should ideally have regular clinical breast exams every 3 years. women over 40 should have annual mammograms.
Women should be aware of the normal look and feel of their breasts and tell their health care provider immediately of any changes in their breasts. Women may choose to have a Breast Self-Examination after the age of 20. Talk to your doctor or nurse about the benefits and limitations of breast self-examination. Some women who are at high risk, such as those affected by family history, genetics or certain other factors, should have an MRI in addition to annual mammograms.
Breast self-examination and prevention
Watch for possible changes: a change in the size or shape of the breast or nipple abnormal thickening of the breast a painful or sensitive lump redness of the breast skin or dimpling of the nipple with discharge most lumps are not cancerous. However, any new lump that does not go away in three to four weeks should be examined by a health care provider. You should also report any unusual persistent pain to your health care provider, especially if it occurs in only one breast. How can I check for lumps myself?
You can check the shape and size of your breasts by standing in front of a mirror in different positions: 1.
2. Raise your arms and place them behind your head
3. Place your palms on your hips and relax your chest muscles
4. 5. Place your left hand behind your head and bring together the three middle fingers of your right hand and use these three fingers to feel your left breast. Start from the outer edge of your breast and stroke your breast in a circular motion, with each circle having a decreasing radius, getting closer to the nipple.
6. Lie down and place a pillow under your left shoulder.
Breast Cancer Prevention
1. Avoid being overweight. Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer after menopause, and the time around menopause is the most common time for breast cancer to occur. Avoid weight gain and try to keep your body mass index below 25 (Body-Mass Index (BMI) is body mass divided by height squared in kilograms per square meter).
2. Healthy diet. Eat more vegetables and fruits, less sugary drinks, less refined carbohydrates (such as refined rice, refined flour) and high-fat foods. Eat low-fat protein, such as fish or chicken breast, and moderate red meat. Eat coarse grains. Choose vegetable oil, do not appetite animal fat.
3, adhere to exercise. Studies have shown that increased physical activity, even if started relatively late, can reduce the risk of breast cancer by about 10 to 30 percent. To play this preventive role, you need to exercise moderately five days a week, such as walking for 30 minutes at a time.
4. Drink less or no alcohol. Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of breast cancer. Women should try to drink less or no alcohol, no matter what kind of alcohol.
5. Avoid hormone replacement therapy. Menopausal hormone therapy can increase the risk of breast cancer. If hormones must be taken to control menopausal symptoms, those containing progestin should be avoided and used for no more than three years. “Bioidentical hormones” and creams and gels with hormones are no safer than prescription hormones and should also be avoided.
6. Consider taking estrogen-blocking medications. Women with a family history of breast cancer or those over 60 should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of taking estrogen-blocking medications (such as tamoxifen and raloxifene) with their doctor.
7. Consider taking the aromatase inhibitor exemestane. Studies have shown that exemestane can reduce the risk of cancer by 65% in postmenopausal women who are at high risk of developing breast cancer. Talk to your doctor to see if this is beneficial to you.
8. Don’t smoke. Studies have shown that long-term smoking increases the risk of breast cancer in some women.
9. Breastfeed your baby for as long as possible. Women who breastfeed their babies for at least one year have a reduced risk of developing breast cancer later in life.