Till date,
scientists and doctors have not determined the exact cause of breast cancer. Nevertheless,
experts and researchers are unanimous that, there are a number of factors which
can increase the risk of a woman getting breast cancer. These hazardous
conditions that can fuel the possibility of a woman getting breast cancer are
called risk factors. Nonetheless,
from collated evidence provided by numerous research programs around the world,
there is a strong link between the dietary products we offer to our bodies and breast
cancer. These products may include the type of food and beverages we consumer,
whether or not we consume alcohol, smoke, use drugs, etc. The following are
some of the most significant breast cancer risk factors; as determined by
renowned breast cancer research institutions around the world.
Meat consumption and other animal
products
Most people are
familiar with the adage that you are what
you eat. The veracity of this adage is as solid today as it was millions of
years ago. The physical body is made up of a multitude of tiny cells. The body
produces new cells regularly. These cells go through the process of birth,
maturity and then old age. These aged or worn out cells must be replaced by new
cells. The food we consume, especially protein, is broken down and ultimately
become the cells of the body. In their book titled:
Poison in your body, Steven Null et.
al. stated: The animals are kept alive
and fattened by continuous administration of tranquilisers, hormones,
antibiotics and 2,700 other drugs. The process starts even before birth and
continues long after death. Although these drugs will still be in the meat when
you eat it, the law does not require that they be listed on the package. When
we consume meat and other animal products containing such a frightfully high
level of dangerous chemicals, they form intoxicants in our system. Intoxicant
briefly means poison. Therefore, these toxic products quickly ruin our health
and disable our system. They mutate the normal physiological processes in the
body; and precipitate numerous diseases, including breast cancer. To
artificially preserve the freshness of meat products, they are usually
administered with nitrates, which have been established to be cancerous.
A diet high in
animal fat, especially the carcinogens found in cooked red meat, and the
fat-soluble hormones found in milk from cows, enormously intoxicates the
system. According to Arthur Upton, former Director of The National Cancer
Institute in the USA, both breast cancer and
colon cancer have been generally associated with the level of consumption of
animal fat.
According to fresh compelling
data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition
(EPIC) study, participants who ate the most red meat and processed meat
increased their risk of dying by 14 and 44 percent respectively; compared with
those who ate the least. Also, The National Cancer Institute in the USA found
that women who consumed one or more servings of high-fat dairy products per
day, were at a 49% increased risk of dying from breast cancer. Therefore, there
is a positive correlation between the consumption of animal products and
getting breast cancer. A Harvard Medical School study of more than 90,000 women
revealed that the women who ate the most meat were nearly twice as likely to
develop breast cancer as those who did not eat much meat.
Saturated fats and breast cancer
The consumption of a high fat
diet also leads to the accumulation of excess cholesterol in the body. Sources
of saturated fats in the body include meat products; among them, sausages and
pies, butter, ghee, lard, diary products such as cheese, cream, sour cream, ice
cream, chocolate products, cakes, biscuits, pastries, eggs, animal fats etc.
An overview
study (meta analysis) of 45 studies reported that women who consumed a fat-rich
diet had an increased risk of breast cancer. The European Prospective
Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC study) has demonstrated that
women who ate higher levels of saturated fats were twice at higher risk of
developing breast cancer, compared to those eating the least. Saturated fats
also have the tendency to induce weight gain and obesity, which are both
positively correlated to increased risk of breast cancer. Omega-6 fats can
increase the risk of breast cancer, while omega-3 fatty acids are known to
lessen the growth of breast cancer cells. Sources of omega-3 fatty acids include
flaxseed oil and beans such as kidney, great northern, navy, and soybeans.
Tobacco and Breast Cancer
Tobacco contains a highly
poisonous substance called nicotine, together with a large number of other poisonous
substances, which are best at nothing else than ruining our health.
According to Cancer Research UK,
tobacco smoke contains more than 70 different cancer-causing substances. When
you inhale smoke, these chemicals enter your lungs and spread around the rest
of your body. Research has further revealed that these chemicals can enter and
damage the DNA and mutate important genes. This scenario prompts a perpetual
and uncontrollable growth and multiplication of the cells, hence causing not
only breast cancer, but a multitude of other forms of cancer. When inhaled,
these poisonous substances rapidly infiltrate the blood vessels and are
speedily transported all over the body. According to the World Health
Organisation (WHO), tobacco use is the single greatest avoidable risk factor
for cancer mortality worldwide, causing an estimated 22% of cancer deaths per
year. In 2004, 1.6 million of the 7.4 million cancer deaths were due to tobacco
use. Tobacco smoking causes various types of cancer, including lung cancer, oesophagus cancer, larynx cancer (voice box), mouth, throat,
kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach and cervix cancers. Therefore, women who
smoke have a higher risk of getting breast cancer than their non-smoking
counterparts.
Alcohol and Breast Cancer
Alcohol consumption is the
most well established dietary risk factor for breast cancer. The Harvard
Nurses' Health study, in conjunction with numerous others, have demonstrated
that consuming more than one alcoholic beverage a day can increase breast
cancer risk by as much as 20-25%. Alcohol includes beer, wine, whisky, gins
etc. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), other types of cancer
caused by alcohol consumption include oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus,
liver, and colorectum cancers. One very crucial study that clearly demonstrated
that alcohol consumption substantially increases the risk of breast cancer is
the Million Woman Study, conducted by Oxford University in the United Kingdom. The
report revealed that every 10 grams above a unit of alcohol consumed, increases
a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer by 6%.
When consumed, alcohol breaks
down into a substance called acetaldehyde, which can cause genetic mutations.
This amounts to a permanent change in the DNA sequence that makes up genes.
This can elicit a response from the body, resulting in the development of cancerous
cells.
Alcohol is also thought to
increase the production of the female hormone oestrogen in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women. A key feature
of a cancer cell is its ability to grow and multiply uncontrollably. In certain
types of breast cancer, high circulating levels of oestrogen can trigger the
uncontrollable growth and multiplication of cancer cells in the breast. Alcohol
can also alter the immune system and contribute to nutritional deficiencies,
including folic acid, vitamins A, B6, D and E and zinc, all of which
make it harder for the body to fight cancerous cells.
Obesity and breast cancer
Obesity is a condition whereby
an individual has an abnormally high and unhealthy proportion of body fat. Researchers
measure obesity using a scale known as body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated
by dividing the square of a person’s weight (in kilograms) by the square of
their height (in metres). BMI provides a more reliable measure of obesity or being
overweight.
In 2008, the World Health
Organisation (WHO) stated that approximately 1.4 billion adults worldwide are
overweight. In the year 2000, it came to light that the number of worldwide
overweight adults exceeded the number of underweight adults. This development
was rather unprecedented; and provided a clear indication that obesity is on an
upward trend.
Reports from both the International Agency for Research on
Cancer and the World Cancer Research Fund revealed persuasive evidence that
being obese or overweight causes breast cancer after menopause. Also, in 2006,
a study from the American Cancer Society (Cancer Prevention Study-II) discovered
that gaining weight as an adult was an even more significant risk factor than
current weight for post-menopausal breast cancer. The study found that women
who gained 60 or more pounds after the age 18 had doubled the risk of being
diagnosed with post-menopausal breast cancer; compared to women who maintained
their weight over the same time period. Other studies have reported similar
findings.
The increased risk of post-menopausal
breast cancer is considered to be due to increased levels of oestrogen in obese
women. After menopause, when the ovaries stop producing hormones, fat tissue
becomes the most significant source of oestrogen. Considering that obese women
have more fat tissue, their oestrogen levels are higher, potentially leading to
more rapid growth of oestrogen-responsive breast tumours.
Inactivity (Lack of Excerise) and Breast
Cancer
Scientists have discovered that there is a strong link between lack of exercise and increased risk of breast cancer. Cancer Research UK undertook a study in which it was found that more that 3000 cancers each year are positively correlated to lack of exercise. Also, a 2011 study revealed that 3-4% of all bowel, breast and womb cancers in the UK are connected to lack of physical exercise.
Lack of physical
exercise may result in blood sugar accumulation, which fuels blood levels of
insulin factor, a hormone that affects how breast cells grow and behave. Lack of exercise can also result in the
accumulation of body fat, which in turn increases the probability of being
obese. People who exercise regularly tend
to be healthier and are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and have
little or no excess fat, compared to people who don't exercise.
Age
Studies have established that age is positively correlated to breast
cancer; and therefore the older a woman gets, the greater her risk of getting
breast cancer. This assertion is strongly vivid in that over 80% of women
diagnosed with breast cancer are above 50 years old. Such women are also in
their post-menopausal period.
Genetic
connections
If a woman’s close relative has had breast or ovarian cancer, then the
risk of that woman developing breast cancer is relatively much higher than
women without such a connection. Nonetheless, this does not necessarily imply
that a woman will at all cost develop breast cancer, if a close relative of
hers have already suffered from the disease. It just means that the woman’s
probability of developing breast cancer is somewhat higher. Women who carry
the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have a considerably higher risk of developing breast
and ovarian cancers. These genes can be inherited. TP53, another gene, is also
linked to greater breast cancer risk.
A history of
breast cancer
A woman who has
already suffered from breast cancer at some point in her life is more likely to
suffer from the disease again, compared to women who have never been plagued by
the disease.
Benign breast
lumps
Women who have
had some types of benign (non-cancerous) breast lumps are more likely to
subsequently develop breast cancer. Examples of such breast cancers include
ductal hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in
situ.
Oestrogen
exposure
Women who had
earlier than normal menstrual experiences or entered menopause later than
usual, are more prone to developing breast cancer. Such woman are usually
exposed to oestrogen for a longer duration. Oestrogen production commences when
menstrual experiences start and stops during menopause.
Higher levels of
endogenous hormones have long been conceived to increase breast cancer risk.
Studies demonstrate that post-menopausal women with the highest levels of
oestrogen and testosterone are about thrice more likely to develop breast
cancer. Higher levels of the hormone prolactin have been associated with an increased
risk of breast cancer; particularly oestrogen-receptor-positive tumours. Having
higher levels of insulin has been associated with an increased risk of
post-menopausal breast cancer in women not taking hormone replacement therapy.
A link between high insulin levels and breast cancer might explain the 20%
increased risk of breast cancer for women with diabetes shown in a
meta-analysis. Insulin-like growth factor 1 is positively associated with
breast cancer risk.
Radiation
exposure
Women who have
undergone x-rays and CT scans may have a higher risk of developing breast
cancer. Scientists at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre found that
women who had been treated with chest radiation for a childhood cancer have a
higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Cosmetic
implants
Women who develop breast cancer, having undergone cosmetic implants; may
have a higher risk of dying from the disease, compared to women who have not
had breast implants. This was reported in the 2013 May issue of the British Medical Journal. The team examined peer reviewed articles of
observations which had been carried out in Europe, USA and Canada. Cosmetic
breast implants produce shadows on mammograms and thus render it difficult to
spot tumours at an earlier stage. The report further determined that a woman
with cosmetic implants has a 25% risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer
when the disease has already reached an advanced stage. Women with cosmetic
breast implants who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a 38% higher risk of
dying from the disease, compared to other patients diagnosed with the same
disease who have no implants; concluded the research.
Being childless or having children later in life
Women who do not
have a biological child, or who have had a first child after the age of 30, bear
a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer. Being pregnant several
times at an early age diminishes the risk of breast cancer. The younger a woman
is when she commences childbearing, the lower her risk of developing breast
cancer. There is evidence that the reduction
in the risk of breast cancer with childbirth, and the increase risk with later
age first time birth, may be limited to oestrogen-receptor-positive tumours.
Childbearing reduces the risk of breast cancer; and the higher the number of
full-term pregnancies, the greater the protection. The risk of breast cancer
reduces by 7% with each full-term pregnancy. Thus, overall, women who have had
children have a 30% lower risk of breast cancer than nulliparous women. Also,
there is a 15% risk reduction for women with a twin birth, compared to women
giving birth to a singleton.
Recent
use of birth control pills
Research
has uncovered that women who are using birth control pills have a slightly
higher risk of developing breast cancer. This risk appears to subside once the
act of taking the pills is terminated. Women who stopped using the pills ten
years ago do not appear to have any risk associated with them. Depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) or
Depo-Provera, is an injectable form of progesterone that is given once every
three months, as a birth control procedure. Women now using DMPA seem to have
an increased risk of breast cancer; but the risk doesn’t appear to be increased
if usage of this drug was stopped more than 5 years ago.
Using
hormone therapy after menopause
Post-menopausal hormone
therapy (PHT) has been used for many years, to help relieve symptoms of
menopause and to prevent the thinning of bones (osteoporosis). This treatment
has other names, such as hormone
replacement therapy (HRT), and menopausal
hormone therapy (MHT). Women using these products have been found to
have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.
Not
breastfeeding
Some studies have shown that
breastfeeding slightly lowers the risk of breast cancer, especially if the
breastfeeding lasts for 18 to 24 months. This could be because just like pregnancy,
breastfeeding lowers a woman’s total number of menstrual periods.
Women who breastfeed reduce their risk of breast cancer,
compared with women who do not breastfeed. The longer a woman breastfeeds, the
greater the protection. Generally, risk is reduced by 4% for every 12 months of
breastfeeding.
Women currently taking HRT have a 66% increased risk of
breast cancer, compared to those not undergoing the procedure. The risk increase is temporary, and within 5
years, it subsides to that of someone who has never used it. A woman's BMI
modifies the effect of HRT, with a stronger effect in women with a lower BMI.
The risk is larger for use of oestrogen-progestagen therapy, compared to
oestrogen-only.
A study
published in December 2011 estimated that in 2010, just over 3% of breast
cancers in women in the UK (around 1,530 cases), were linked to HRT use.
According to an earlier study, three-quarters of these additional breast cancer
cases are linked to the use of oestrogen-progestagen HRT.
Treatment
with DES
In the past, some pregnant
women were given the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) because it was thought to
lower their chances of losing the baby (miscarriage). Studies have shown that
these women have a slightly increased risk of getting breast cancer.
Dense
breast tissue
Dense breast tissue entails
breast with more gland tissue and less fatty tissue. Women with denser breast
tissue have a higher risk of breast cancer. Dense breast tissue can also make
it harder for doctors to spot problems on mammograms.
Certain jobs
Canadian
researchers uncovered that certain jobs, most especially those that put the
human body in contact with possible carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, are
more likely to increase the risk of a woman developing breast cancer. Such jobs
include gambling, bar work, automotive plastics manufacturing, metal-working,
food canning and agriculture. They reported their findings in the November 2012
issue of a journal called Environmental Health. French researchers found
that women who worked at night prior to a first pregnancy had a higher risk of
developing breast cancer.
There is some evidence to suggest that women who do night
shift work have an increased risk of breast cancer; while other studies reveal
that sleeping longer reduces the risk of breast cancer. One theory purports
that disrupted or shorter duration of sleep leads to reduced levels of the
hormone melatonin, which has been proven to have anti-carcinogenic properties.
Melatonin also suppresses the production of other hormones that have been
linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. A recent study showed a 38%
reduction in the risk of breast cancer in women with the highest levels of the
major melatonin, metabolite 6-sulfatoxymelatonin. In 2007, the International
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified night-time shift work as probably carcinogenic to humans. It has
been estimated that more than 4% of breast cancers in women in the UK, are
linked to shift work.
Infections
It has been found that
infectious substances are responsible for almost 22% of cancer deaths in the
developing world and 6% in industrialised
countries. Viral hepatitis B and C cause cancer of the liver; human papilloma
virus infection causes cervical cancer; the bacterium Helicobacter pylori
increases the risk of stomach cancer. In some countries, the parasitic
infection schistosomiasis increases the risk of bladder cancer; and in other
countries, the liver fluke increases the risk of cholangiocarcinoma of the bile
ducts. Preventive measures include vaccination and prevention of infection and
infestation.
Environmental pollution
In 2003, the international
Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO)
stated that air, water and soil with carcinogenic chemicals account for 1–4% of
all cancers. Exposure to carcinogenic chemicals in the environment can arise
via drinking water or pollution of indoor and ambient air. Exposure to
carcinogens also occurs via the contamination of food by chemicals, such as
aflatoxins or dioxins. Indoor air pollution from coal fires doubles the risk of
lung cancer, particularly among non-smoking women (Smith, Mehta & Feuz,
2004). Worldwide, indoor air pollution from domestic coal fires is responsible
for approximately 1.5% of all lung cancer deaths. Coal use in households is
particularly widespread in Asia. There are numerous other chemicals which can
increase the risk of a woman developing breast cancer.
Radiation
Ionising radiation is a
significant breast cancer risk factor. Knowledge on the risk associated with
radiation has been mainly acquired from epidemiological studies of the Japanese
A-bomb survivors; as well as from studies of medical and occupational radiation
exposure cohorts. Ionising radiation can induce leukaemia and a number of solid tumours, with higher risks for those at a young age during
exposure. Residential exposure to radon gas from soil and building material is
estimated to cause between 3% and 14% of all lung cancers; rendering it the
second cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke.
Breast Cancer Prevention
Women who adopt
proven and effective breast cancer preventive measures are less likely to be
diagnosed with breast cancer. In contrast, women who fail to adopt breast cancer
preventive measures are at a higher risk of being diagnosed with the disease. This
book presents excellent breast cancer preventive measures, as approved by the
most trusted breast cancer research institutions around the world. Considering
the enormous complications associated with remedying breast cancer, all experts
are unanimous on the truth that when it comes to breast cancer treatment, prevention
is the best cure.
To view or download this book, click here.
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