BREAST CANCER RISK AND LIFESTYLE CHOICES

BREAST CANCER RISK AND LIFESTYLE CHOICES
Some lifestyle choices can affect your chances of developing breast cancer.
Research shows that certain lifestyle choices can have an influence on whether you develop breast cancer, but more information is still needed for others.
Not having children or having them later in life. Women who have not had children, or who had their first child after age 30, have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. Being pregnant more than once and at an early age reduces breast cancer risk. Pregnancy reduces a woman's total number of lifetime menstrual cycles, which may be the reason for this effect.
Recent 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.
Postmenopausal hormone therapy (PHT): Postmenopausal hormone therapy (also known as hormone replacement therapy) or HRT), has been used for many years to help relieve symptoms of menopuase and to help prevent thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). There are two main types of PHT. For women who still have a womb (uterus), doctors generally prescribe estrogen and progesterone (known as combined PHT). Estrogen alone can increase the risk of cancer of the uterus, so progesterone is added to help prevent this. For women who no longer have a uterus (Those who've had a hysterectomy), estrogen alone can be prescribed. This is commonly known as estrogen replacement therapy (ERT).
Combined PHT: It has become clear that long-term use (several years or more) of combined PHT increases the risk of breast cancer and may increase the chances of dying of breast cancer. The breast cancer may also be found at a more advanced stage, perhaps because PHT sesems to reduce the effectiveness of mammograms. Five years after stopping PHT), the breast cancer risk seems to drop to normal.
ERT: The use of estrogen alone does not seem to increase the risk of developing breast cancer much, if at all. But when used long-term (for more than 10 years), some studies have found that ERT increases the risk of ovarian and breast cancer.
At this time, there are few strong reasons to use PHT, other than for short-term relief of menopausal symptoms. Because there other factors to think about, you should talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of using PHT. If a woman and her doctor decide to tryPHT 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 cancer risk, especially if the breast-feeding lasts 1l/2 to 2 years. This could be because breast-feeding lowers a woman's total number of menstrual periods, as does pregnancy.
Alcohol: Use of alcohol is clearly linked to an increased risk of getting breast cancer. Women who have one drink a day have a very small increased risk. Those who have two to five drinks daily have about l1'2 times the risk of women who drink no alcohol. The American Cancer Society suggests limiting the amount you drink to one drink a day.
Being overweight or obese: Being overweight or obese is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, especially for women after menopause 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. But the link between weight and breast cancer is complex, and studies of fat in the diet as it relates to breast cancer have often given conflicting results. The American Cancer Society recommends you maintain a healthy weight throughout your life and avoid gaining too much weight.
Lack of exercise: Studies show that exercise reduces breast cancer risk. The only question is how much exercise is needed. One study found that as little as 1 hour and 15 minutes to 21/2 hours of brisk walking perweek reduce the risk by 18 percent. Walking 10 hours a week reduced the risk a little more. The American Cancer Society suggests that you exercise for 45 to 60 minutes five or more days a week.
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