Women who carry a genetic mutation are more likely to develop breast cancer, but 85% of breast cancer diagnoses are in women with no known family history. Being overweight increases the risk of breast cancer after menopause but could be a protective factor before menopause. Women who have children before the age of 30 have a lower risk of developing post-menopausal breast cancer, but women who have children are at a higher risk of breast cancer metastasis and death between 5-10 years after childbirth, maybe longer. Hormone therapy could increase the risk of breast cancer because estrogen can feed tumors, but eating plants like soy and flax with estrogen-like chemical components can decrease your risk of breast cancer. Also, someone can do everything “right” and still be diagnosed with breast cancer, or have a recurrence. Confused yet?
With all of this seemingly contradictory information, how can we be expected to take care of ourselves, and do the “right” things for our health? No wonder there is a prevalence of myths out there about what causes breast cancer. It’s easier to switch to natural deodorant or stop wearing underwire bras (deodorant/antiperspirant and underwire bras are both mythical causes of breast cancer) than to accept that there are currently no easy answers to keeping breast cancer at bay. There is, however, some reasonable guidance that people can follow to stay on top of their health.
A common refrain in my community presentations is “know your normal.” The most important thing we can do is know how our body usually looks and feels, and mention any changes that concern us to a health care provider. For people who have breast cancer (or a lot of any cancer) in their families, it is probably a good idea to talk to a genetic counselor about whether to undergo genetic testing. The American Society of Breast Surgeons now recommends that everyone who has had breast cancer should receive genetic testing, so if you are a survivor and haven’t had testing, you might want to check with your doctor about whether you should be tested.
When it comes to diet, my favorite summary of how to eat healthfully comes from food writer, Michael Pollan: “Eat food [meaning minimally processed food], not too much, mostly plants.” If you want some guidance on what that means for you, see if you can talk to a dietician. Dieticians have received specialized education on diet and nutrition and are the best source for the most current information. An excellent online source is eatright.org, hosted by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
In regards to childbearing, I wouldn’t suggest timing the start of your family based on potential breast cancer risk, the research simply isn’t compelling enough. Unfortunately, “knowing your normal” is a little harder as a new mom because typically the breasts go through a lot of change during pregnancy and postpartum, but if you notice anything that worries you, don’t hesitate to mention it to your healthcare provider and ask them to explain things to you.
And when it comes to trying to do everything “right,” take some pressure off of yourself. The best thing to do is to be a good consumer of scientific information: don’t rely just on “mainstream media” sources to sound-byte scientific information, always try to go back to the research article if you can, or to media sources that specialize in scientific information because they’ll provide a better context of what the research actually means, rather than the sensational headlines that draw readers in.
When it comes to research, it matters where a study was conducted, how many people participated, and who funded the study, so try and find the answers to those questions if you can before you start incorporating the research conclusions into your life. Studies conducted on populations outside of the United States, on a small group of people, or funded by a corporate entity might not have results that are applicable to your life, and/or may have biased results. And, recognize that as more studies are conducted on the same topic, sometimes the recommendations change. If you want to be a part of improving the scientific body of knowledge about breast cancer, consider signing up for a clinical trial or apply to be a consumer reviewer with the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program.
So, if you want some simple things to remember that can help you prevent breast cancer, here they are: Know your normal. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Don’t believe everything you read. If you want some more information, you can check out the source list for this article, follow our Twitter (where we post scientific articles), or reach out to me at erin@vbcf.org, and I can help you find what you are looking for.
Sources:
- Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer. Familial breast cancer: collaborative reanalysis of individual data from 52 epidemiological studies, including 58,209 women with breast cancer and 101,986 women without the disease. Lancet. 358: 1389-99, 2001.
- https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/how-your-weight-affects-your-risk-of-breast-cancer.html
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322218.php
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8178795
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24084921
- https://www.oncologynutrition.org/erfc/healthy-nutrition-now/foods/flaxseeds-and-breast-cancer
- https://www.oncologynutrition.org/on/erfc/healthy-nutrition-now/foods/soy-and-breast-cancer
- https://www.stamfordhealth.org/healthflash-blog/womens-health/breast-cancer-myths/
