Moderate Amounts of Alcohol Impact Breast Cancer

A study conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle could lend more credence to the old adage: “everything in moderation.” The study demonstrated that being a moderate alcohol drinker can in fact improve breast cancer survival rate. A research team followed  over 22 thousand women with breast cancer over an eleven year period, and discovered that those who drank modest amounts (3 to 6 drinks per week) before developing breast cancer were 15% less likely to die from the disease than non-drinkers. Furthermore, drinking after diagnosis did not appear to impact survival rates either. In fact, breast cancer patients experienced a 25 percent lower risk of death from other causes during the eleven years they were followed.

During the study, the researchers also discovered there was another benefit to moderate alcohol consumption: the risk of cardiovascular disease in women with breast cancer was lower. Cardiovascular disease is a known contributor to the mortality of those who survive breast cancer. It turns out that women who drink 3 to 6 drinks per week before being diagnosed with breast cancer are also 25 percent less likely to develop heart disease.

Cancer Research UK is a huge supporter of cutting down on alcohol consumption to prevent all types of cancer. They support the notion that if you are a heavy drinker, it is not too late to cut down on drinking to reduce your risk. But they add that this doesn’t mean you have to quit completely – drinking in moderation (defined as approximately one drink a day in the UK) is deemed alright.

The Confusing Alcohol-Cancer Connection

While the Seattle study is getting worldwide attention, oncologists caution women not to view this as a license to drink. If your alcohol consumption is beyond the moderate level, you could be increasing your risk of breast cancer. Scientists don’t completely understand how alcohol increases cancer risks, but they do believe it may have to do with the way alcohol breaks down in the body, altering into a substance that could cause genetic mutation.

Other medical experts also suspect that alcohol increases the production of the hormone oestrogen. This hormone is secreted bythe ovaries and placenta, and stimulates changes in female reproductive organs. High levels of oestrogen could cause cancer cells to multiply quickly.

Toasting to the Future

So what is a woman to do with all of this conflicting information?  The researchers involved in the Seattle study say that, despite the continuing raging debate when it comes to alcohol and cancer, it would seem that breast cancer survivors can feel comfortable indulging in an occasional alcoholic beverage. Hopefully this line of research will continue to evolve, in order to shed more light on the exact level of alcohol consumption that constitutes the tipping point between cancer protection and increased cancer risk.

Up until recently, regular breast checks and mammography was advised for women over the age of forty. However, this study adds yet one more increasingly prevalent cancer type on a list that has been disconcertingly growing for much younger women. The Centers for Disease Control reports that the risk of cervical cancer amongst women aged 20 to 29 is just over 20 percent, while the Mayo Clinic found a significant increase in the number of skin cancer cases among young women this past spring. The idea of breast cancer being a real risk to young women just hasn’t been in the spotlight until now.

Breast Cancer in Young Women

The breast cancer study was conducted by the director of the Young Adult Oncology Program at Seattle Children’s Hospital, along with staff at the University of Washington. It states that the incidence of advanced breast cancer increased among women ages 25-39 by 2.1 percent per year, from 1976 to 2009. Analyses of cases spanning 1973-2009, 1992-2009, and 2000-2009 clearly indicate an increase in incidences of cancer, with the disease spreading beyond the lymph nodes in women ages 25 to 39 over that period of time.

The authors of the study find this significant increase disturbing, and it is unclear as to why young women would be getting breast cancer that is spreading to their bones, brains, and lungs so aggressively. Furthermore, there are currently no measures in place to screen young women for breast cancer unless they have high cancer risk, such as a strong family history of the disease.

Critics call Cancer Risk Generally Low

Critics of the study call the sampling small and insist that breast cancer risk in young women is relatively low. Only 1.8 percent of all breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women ages 20 to 34. There is a concern that this new research will frighten young women unnecessarily.  At the same time, research does show that when young women do get breast cancer, it tends to be more deadly than when older women get it.  According to the Young Survival Coalition, a national resource and support group for young women facing cancer, women ages 15 to 35 die more frequently from breast cancer than any other cancer. The coalition states that more data seems to suggest that breast cancer before the age of 40 “differs biologically” from cancer that older women get.

Uncovering the Mystery behind Cancer

Oncologists say the Seattle study has opened the door for a lot of important discussion, as well as a call for more in-depth research. Some suggest environmental exposure, childhood obesity, and delayed childbearing all need to be looked at when investigating possible causes for the increases in cancer rates.

For now, the message to young women is not to panic. However, it’s important to be aware of breast cancer risks for young women, so that immediate action is not delayed if a lump is found, or anything else that is out of the ordinary. No matter what your age, any concerns you may have should always be addressed by a doctor sooner rather than later.

Radiation and Dangers to the Heart – Really Not So Hard to Believe

As most women know, when it comes to the treatment of breast cancer, treatment options come with certain risk factors. But what many women might not have been aware of, and up until recently researchers were oblivious to the idea of heart damage, as well. The risk factors might be slight, but are being brought to the forefront nonetheless.

Shocking Statistics on Breast Cancer Mean Women Need to Pay Attention

The breast cancer numbers are staggering – in fact, about one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with this type of cancer in her lifetime. And as is common knowledge, radiation tends to be the most popular go-to treatment option for breast cancer as it has traditionally has been an aggressive, and successfully proven method of dealing with cancer of the breast.

Radiation, as a rule tends to cause a type of damage to the inner lining of the vessels of the breast that trigger off the process of inflammation. This is a concern to cancer researchers and healthcare professionals because of the fact that this inflammation becomes the precursor to potential problems down the road. So attacking one problem, could potentially lead to triggering a whole other set of issues.

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One study that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms that inflammation as a result of radiation is a real cause for concern in this population of women. The researchers looks at data that went back all the way to 1958 and notices some scary trends. The authors of the study confirmed something that was long suspected, but this time confirmed….the risk of developing heart disease as a result of radiation (or the inflammation caused by said radiation) was somewhat low, but still made the scale enough that women need to be made well aware of the risks.

Radiation as a Breast Cancer Treatment Option?

Healthcare practitioners tend to use the rule of thumb that less is more when it comes to radiation, and the standard is in place that while beneficial to the breast cancer patient, using a small amount of radiation is better. However, the authors of this study found a small glitch in even the plans to use small amounts of radiation treatment. When it comes to cancer of the left breast, which is closer to the heart, the risk of inflammation leading to heart problems becomes a very real threat. And one that women should be well educated on, as they consider their options for cancer treatment.

For other investigators, the significant rise in the number of breast malignancies has driven them to find effective cancer treatment options that would prevent and ultimately, reverse the progression of the disease.

The Most Common Breast Cancer Procedures

One of the most common procedures involved in the diagnosis of cancer of the breast involves getting a small tissue sample or biopsy from the breast and subjecting these to different staining methods.  These special stains allow the pathologist to identify specific proteins, such as the estrogen receptor (ER), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2), which provide information on the patient’s response to cancer treatment.  At the same time, these stains help the pathologist determine the actual breast cancer stage of a patient.  The information provided by histopathological staining allows the oncologist to design a cancer treatment scheme for the patient.

What This Procedure Means for Breast Cancer Patients

Although the staining procedure seems relatively simple and straightforward, those working in the pathology laboratories are often faced with problems relating to biopsy processing.  First, these biopsy specimens need to be processed within a few hours of removal from the breast because these tissue proteins are very delicate and easily react to external conditions.  Second, certain proteins in the breast tissue are difficult to analyze using current staining procedures.  It may be possible to obtain high-quality staining using tissue samples from one patient, but that does not assure the pathologist that the same results will be observed in the tissue of the next patient.

The Recent Medical Study – The New Cancer Treatment

According to a recent medical report published in the British Journal of Cancer, the analysis of stained tissues from patients with breast cancer may now be analyzed using an imaging software that was originally designed for star gazing.  Astronomers are also faced with challenges involving visualization of tiny illuminated bodies in the vast, dark sky, often requiring powerful equipment to capture those stars and planets from afar.  In turn, pathologists are also faced with challenges of detecting tiny stained proteins in breast tissues.  Both areas of specialization thus need technologies that would help not only visualize small entities but also process these types of information in a rapid and reliable way.

Star Gazing Software – The New Imaging Software

The investigators employed the astronomy-based imaging software in screening approximately 2,268 breast cancer tissues that were previously subjected to standard tissue staining techniques.  These tissues were analyzed using the same proteins, ER, HER2, and BCL2, and compared with the information generated from manual staining procedures.  The results of the study showed that the astronomical software provided the same screening precision in identifying the three proteins.  More importantly, this star gazing software was able to process all the samples as a significantly faster rate than the manual approach.

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The results of this study showed that this imaging software that was originally used for visualizing stars and planets might also be applied in the clinics.  The information generated by this software is as reliable as that produced by manual microscopic analysis of stained tissues.  Based on the rapid turnover of results of this new technology, it may thus be possible to analyze a larger number of tissues in a shorter amount of time; this may hopefully assist in the diagnosis of cancer and in the design of cancer treatment schemes.

Breast Cancer and Cancer Tissue

If a lump is detected after mammography, it is possible that the woman will be subjected to tissue examination.  In this case, the potential cancer tissue is removed through a needle biopsy, examined using special stains and viewed under a microscope. This tissue sample allows the pathologist to know whether the cancer tissue is benign or malignant.  Tissue examination also helps in determining the actual stage of breast cancer of the patient.

Cancer of the breast is not only a life-changing event to a woman— it also affects her loved ones.  Members of the family, close friends, and relatives can also be affected by the news of developing cancer of the breast.  Once of member of the family is diagnosed with breast cancer, it might also be helpful for other female family members to undergo testing for the presence of cancer tissue in order to determine their cancer risk.  Early detection of breast cancer is considered as the best approach for this devastating condition.

Breast Cancer Doesn’t Just Affect Women

Although much has been said about how cancer of the breast affects women, their loved ones, and friends, there is a growing concern about the effects of various products on cancer risk.  The most common question that people would ask is— Is there a certain activity that I have been doing that increases the chances of developing cancer of the breast?  According to a recent study published in the journal Radiotherapy and Oncology, the presence of chemicals from deodorants may be detected in the cancer tissue of patients.

The authors of the report reviewed available articles that looked into the association between deodorant use and its presence in cancer tissue and their research resulted in the identification of four clinical studies on this topic.  These reports discussed that the use of deodorant for hygienic purposes may indeed result in the presence of chemicals in the skin and tissues involved in cancer; however, its presence does not have any worsening effects on the cancer patient.  More importantly, the presence of deodorant components in the skin and tissues does not affect the treatment for this type of cancer.

Deodorant and Breast Cancer – Shocking Information

For decades, deodorants have been used to control production of body odor.  This hygienic activity prevents negative social effects on a person, which may often be distressing.  Although physicians often recommend that cancer patients avoid using deodorants during radiation or chemotherapy, this advice is mainly based on the possible effects of the metallic components of the product on radiation.  It has been suggested that exposing these metallic components to radiation may possibly enhance the effects of this therapy and thus the advice is simply based on the need to ensure the safety of the patient.  It has been theorized that the amount of radiation that enters the body may become more concentrated if the surface of the skin contains metallic compounds.  However, a previous study has shown that the amount of radiation does not increase, even in the presence of metallic compounds from deodorant use.

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The recent report is very informative because it allows the readers to know the latest findings on the association between cancer and deodorant use.  Although there are active efforts in identifying ways to decrease cancer risk, the application of deodorants while receiving therapy still appears to be safe and that the advice on avoiding deodorant use during treatment is mainly based on the possible interaction between metallic compounds and radiation, and not directly on the chances of causing cancer.

However, controversy exists around mammograms, especially when performed on young women.  Research has shown that young women who have a strong family history of breast cancer may actually be at an increased breast cancer risk when they undergo diagnostic imaging, including mammograms at an early age.

What is Breast Cancer?

Mutations or abnormal changes to the genes responsible for normal growth and development of cells cause cancer to develop. Breast cancer is uncontrolled growth of cells of the breast.  Breast cancer refers to a malignant (bad) tumor of the breast.  Breast cancer risk is increased if a women’s mother, sister or daughter has a history of breast cancer.  Additionally, a woman is at an increased breast cancer risk if she has a gene mutation, specifically a BRCA1 or BRCA2.

Breast Cancer and the Role of Mammograms

A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast and the National Cancer Institute recommends that women over the age of 40 have a mammogram every 1-2 years to monitor for breast cancer.  The National Cancer Institute recommends that if a woman has an increased breast cancer risk, either because she has a family history of breast cancer or she has a mutation in either BRCA1 or BRCA2, she have mammogram screening before the age of 40.  There are two different types of mammograms that are performed:

1. Screening mammograms – performed to check if there is breast cancer in women that have no signs or symptoms of the disease
2. Diagnostic mammograms – performed to check for breast cancer in women that have found a lump in their breast or who have signs and symptoms of breast cancer

Mammograms and Increased Breast Cancer Risk?

A project called GEN-RAD-RISK looked at over 1,900 women who had either BRCA1 (65% of participants) or BRCA2 (25% of participants) mutations and the effect that radiation exposure to their chest had on their breast cancer risk. The participants reported their lifetime exposure to various diagnostic imaging procedures including fluoroscopy, radiographs (x-rays), CT scans of the shoulders and/or chest, mammography and bone scans of the shoulders and/or chest.  The results showed that breast cancer risk increased with increased radiation exposure, showing that the effect of radiation is cumulative.  Radiation exposure before the age of 20 was shown to have more of an effect than exposure in the 30’s. Almost half of all of the participants had an x-ray before the age of 40 and approximately 33% had a mammogram before the age of 40.

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The findings showed that exposure to any sort of radiation before the age of 30 increased breast cancer risk by 90% for women who had BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations. Additionally, a history of mammogram before the age of 30, increased cancer risk by 43% in women who had BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.  The results of this research give further support for the use of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or other types of non-ionizing radiation to screen for breast cancer as opposed to mammograms in young women who are carriers of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations.

These types of parties are naturally aimed at women in and about the time breast cancer screening should begin, and while it may seem odd, the idea is to try and make a mammogram a fun experience, rather than one that is feared and dreaded.

So these types of parties boast a selection of food and refreshment, a massage treatment and a few laughs among their female counterparts to make the whole theory of having this breast cancer exam a little less frightening for the woman.

Experts say that with or without a history of breast cancer, all women should begin having mammograms and breast cancer screening starting at about age 40. Most women will avoid the idea of breast cancer screening because it is seen as a horrible and uncomfortable experience, and medical experts say that this happens at the peril of both the woman and her family.

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What could make these types of parties even more enjoyable is that they tend to not have the medical feel of sterility and cold hands associated with a stark white doctors office. But not only this, Mammogram parties are normally not run by a doctor or nurse at all. They are instead run by a trained technician, which can also allow women feel more at ease with the breast cancer screening process. But they are taken seriously, with all the standard medical equipment used still being present. Women can expect the same process, just in a far more friendly and relaxed environment.

As with any new medical trend aimed at taking some of the scariness out of a procedure there is an upside and a downside.

The Upside to Mammogram Breast Cancer Screening Parties

The upside is that these types of parties allow for a stress-free relaxing way to get a mammogram done. A lot of the stress and anxiousness, not to mention dread that goes into a mammogram procedure can be avoided or eliminated completely. That and the natural topic of conversation can raise a lot of awareness on what to expect throughout the process, informing women in a more organic environment.

The Downside to Mammogram Breast Cancer Screening Parties

What most healthcare practitioners will agree on is that the event could be a slight waste of precious resources, because not every single woman out there needs to have breast cancer screening done. The only real way to know if you fall into any kind of a high risk category is to go see your doctor, and while you are there, it might just be more convenient for you to have him/her do the breast exam themselves. The American Cancer Society has recommendations in place that all women start annual mammogram and breast cancer screening beginning at 40 years old.

According to a recent medical report published in the journal The Oncologist, excessive weight may also play a role in the recurrence of breast cancer among previously diagnosed and treated patients. It has been earlier suggested that being overweight or obese may influence cancer risk but there have been no comprehensive reports that have examined the association between weight issues and breast cancer recurrence.

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Breast Cancer Risk and Weight Control

The report describing the association of weight with breast cancer recurrence was based on actual studies involving approximately 67 patients with breast cancer. These patients have earlier been subjected to chemotherapy and were determined to have completely responded to the treatment. These patients were also examined in terms of age, tumor grade, and breast cancer markers such as estrogen and progesterone receptors. Information on the weight and body mass index (BMI) of these patients was also collected. As control, another group of 67 patients with breast cancer were examined, yet this time these patients did not show a complete response to chemotherapeutic treatment. The study also involved following up on all the patients and determining their conditions through time. The report described that their average duration of monitoring of the study participants was approximately seven years.

The results of the study showed an association between BMI and the generation of a complete response to chemotherapeutic treatment. According to the study, patients who possessed normal body weight showed a higher rate of complete response to chemotherapy. In addition, these individuals also survived for a longer period of time, as compared to individuals who were overweight or obese. The study also showed that the death hazard, or the likelihood of dying due to the administration of the chemotherapeutic treatment, was higher among patients who were either overweight or obese.

Breast Cancer – The Recent Report

The information presented in the recent medical report may be helpful for both physicians and breast cancer patients because it presents suggestions on how to decrease cancer risk and recurrence. Losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle therefore does not only decrease cancer risk but also improves the outcome of cancer treatment. For years, physicians have been recommending to their patients to lose weight in order to decrease the likelihood of developing various types of diseases, as well as lowering the chance for cancer risk. However, little then was known regarding the cancer risk and recurrence after treatment.

The negative impact of excessive weight should thus be seriously considered, especially when it increases the chance of a wide variety of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Weight loss may be achieved by consuming healthy food items such as fruits and vegetables, which are rich in vitamins and fiber. Avoiding consumption of sugar- and fat-rich food items may also help in losing weight. Getting enough sleep may also control food cravings and prevent one from engaging in food binges. Leading a healthy lifestyle may help in the reduction of cancer risk and improve treatment outcomes. And based on the results presented by the recent medical report, weight issues are strongly associated with higher cancer risk and recurrence. Weight issues may also influence the progression and prognosis of breast cancer, as well as cancer risk.

Breast Cancer and Obesity

A recent breast cancer study found anastrozole (an aromatase inhibitor drug) that is considered markedly more effective as a breast cancer treatment amongst the general population than its predecessor tamoxifen, is actually no more effective when it comes to the treatment of obese women. With this study in mind, researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation set out to examine whether tamoxifen is simply more effective for obese women or if aromatase inhibitor drugs are simply less effective for obese women then they are for women with a lower body mass.

The purpose of anastrozole and other aromatase inhibitor drugs is to lower estrogen levels. These drugs are helpful for breast cancer treatment because over 66 percent of breast cancer tumors require estrogen to grow and survive and the drugs block the production and action of estrogen in the body. For the Institute of Cancer Research study, the scientists prescribed a 6 month course of aromatase inhibitor drugs to 54 postmenopausal women with estrogen related breast cancer. The body mass and estrogen levels of the women were measured both before and after the study. The researchers found that although anastrozole did lower the estrogen levels of the obese women with breast cancer, the levels of estrogen in these women still remained twice as high as the levels found in women of normal body weight after treatment. These findings suggest that breast cancer treatment may not be a one-size-fits-all type of therapy and that the most effective and appropriate form of breast cancer treatment therapy may be dependent upon a women’s body mass index.

The Study – Obesity and Breast Cancer Treatment

According to Professor Alan Ashworth, Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, “Aromatase inhibitors have played an increasing role in breast cancer treatment over the past decade, so it is important to understand the factors that affect how well they work in individual women in order to allow doctors to choose the best possible drug from the range available.” Senior author Professor Mitch Dowsett adds “Our findings are based on laboratory studies, so we would need to carry out clinical trials to tell us whether women with a higher BMI would benefit from changes to their treatment. Women with higher BMIs should certainly not be alarmed by this finding or stop taking their treatment. Our study takes us a step closer to understanding which of the treatment options available might be the most suitable for individual women.”

All breast cancer drugs come with a range of unwanted side-effects and none of them provide any guarantees of effectiveness. Until more research is done, your best bet for surviving breast cancer is preventing the development of it in the first place. Some preventative breast cancer measures that you can take include eating a high fiber, whole-foods based diet, reducing your intake of alcohol and minimizing your exposure to toxins such as the BPA found in plastic food containers and the parabens found in cosmetics. Perhaps the two most vitally important preventative steps that you can take however, are exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy body weight—both of which help to dramatically reduce circulating estrogens levels.

The Research on Cancer Risk

Breast cancer is a collection of cancer cells that arise from cells of the breast. Each breast contains glands, ducts, fatty tissue lymph vessels and lymph nodes. The lymph nodes trap bacteria, cancer cells and other harmful substances. There are many different types of breast cancer. Cancer cells can start in the ducts, which is referred to as ductal carcinoma. Additionally, cancer cells can start in the lobule, which is referred to a lobule carcinoma. The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma.

Researchers from 23andMe studied the data of over 16,000 women who had self-reported their bra cup size and bra band size and that had previously had their genetic makeup examined. The researchers were looking for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in this data. SNPs are variations in DNA that occur when a single nucleotide in a sequence is altered. While some alterations cause no damage, others predispose an individual to certain traits and/or diseases. From analyzing the data, the researchers identified seven SNPs that were associated with breast size. Three of these SNPs have previously been linked to breast cancer risk. From this data, the researchers stated that there could be a link between breast size and cancer risk. However, they stated that it is not a strong risk factor.

One explanation that was given for the link between breast size and cancer risk was that larger breasts contain more cells. These additional cells have more opportunity to turn into cancer cells. This is a simple explanation as to how breast size influences cancer risk. More research is needed to determine if and how breast size can affect cancer risk.

It should be mentioned that the research was conducted by a commercial institution and not an independent facility. Furthermore, the researchers did not have information regarding the participants’ weight. Obesity has been linked to an increased breast cancer risk. Additionally, they did not control for other cancer risk factors including lifestyle choices, such as alcohol and tobacco use or breast density which has also been linked to an increase in breast cancer risk.

The researchers admit that their results have not identified precise relationships between breast size, density, obesity and breast cancer risk. Future, independent, research should try to untangle the relationship between all of these factors and attempt to develop screening tools for women to use in an effort to minimize their breast cancer risk.

Decreasing Breast Cancer Risk

To decrease breast cancer risk, women are encouraged to undergo regular medical examinations that would monitor changes in their body, including assessing hormone levels and palpation of the breast. At the same time, women are also educated on the importance of regular self-examination of the breast, and once a lump is noticed, this should be reported to the physician for further examination.

One of the routine methods in screening for breast cancer is mammography, or the radiological imaging of the breast. This technique is generally performed in order to diagnose breast cancer, especially after positively reporting a lump after self-examination. The use of mammography has actually lowered cancer risk levels among women because this detects cancer development at its early stages, allowing physicians to immediately design treatment regiments to prevent the breast cancer to further proceed to more severe stages.

Detection of Breast Cancer

Based on the importance of mammography in the detection of breast cancer, millions of women are now screened for any signs of cancer development each year. Starting at the age of 40, women are encouraged to undergo mammography to lower their breast cancer risk. Mammography may be quite painful, especially when pressure is placed upon each breast in order to generate a reliable radiological imaging for analysis for breast cancer. Depending on the recommendations of the physician, women thus undergo mammography on a regular basis every 1–3 years.

In the last few years, there has been extensive debate regarding the use of mammography for the detection of breast cancer. Despite the importance of mammography in the diagnosis for breast cancer, not all women show signs of cancer development and thus legislators and physicians have questioned the cost-effectiveness of mammography in lowering cancer risk among women. It is true the mammography has the ability to detect tiny lesions in the breast that may not be noticeable through simple breast examination, yet it has also been suggested that there should be an additional means of selecting which individuals would be in greater need for this radiological assay. The cost of performing mammography for women starting at the age of 40 thus involves millions of dollars, with only a small fraction of this population being classified to have a high cancer risk or currently undergoing cancer development.

The Breast Cancer Study

According to a recent medical report published in the journal Insights Imaging, mammography still remains to be the most reliable technique in detecting breast cancer and early signs of cancer development despite its overuse in the female population. The report examined the medical records in various European countries in relation to the use of mammography in determining cancer risk, generating a report that lists the recommendations for use of radiological assay. The report indicated that in the absence of mammography, approximately 20% of breast cancer cases may go undetected and further cancer development in these individuals may result in greater mortality rates. The report also explained that most cases involving cancer development are free of symptoms of which only mammography can detect and thus performing this radiological technique appears to be the only effective way in reducing cancer risk among women. The report thus expressed its support of extensively using mammography in identifying signs of cancer development of the breast, despite the medical costs related to its implementation.

Regular medical examinations related to determining cancer risk have saved millions of lives around the world. In the case of identifying cancer risk of the breast, mammography still remains the most reliable method of screening for signs of cancer development. The use of mammography may entail costly equipment for screening lesions in the breast that often generate negative results in most women, yet this approach has effective identified patients with cancer of the breast that need to be immediately treated in order to prevent fatal results.

The Breast Cancer Study That Has People Talking

Although breast cancer is a horrible disease, it is considered one of the least fatal forms of cancer, especially when it is caught before the cancer development has progressed too far. Spurred by the fact that breast cancer survivors are living longer, researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center worked with colleagues at the University of South Florida and University of Kentucky, to investigate some of the long-term effects of conventional breast cancer therapies.

The study involved 313 women with early stage breast cancer who were being treated with either chemotherapy or radiation. In order to assess the patients cognitive function the researchers tested their ability to solve problems (executive function), their verbal abilities and how quickly they were able to complete tasks under pressure (processing speed). The patients were tested six months after treatment and then retested 36 months after completing treatment. To assure accurate results, the researchers also tested a control group of women who did not have breast cancer. The control group lived in the same zip code and were within five years of age, as the breast cancer patients. “We found that chemotherapy-treated patients performed worse than non-cancer controls in processing speed, executive functioning and verbal ability. These domains may be the domains most affected by chemotherapy,” says study lead author Paul Jacobsen, Ph.D..

The researchers conducted the same test on women who underwent radiotherapy, and found that the women experienced the same reduction in cognitive abilities as the chemotherapy group. In addition, the researchers found that the women in the control group experienced an improvement in cognitive function over time, while the women in the chemotherapy and radiotherapy group did not. According to Jacobsen, “Since patients report cognitive problems that interfere with their daily activities, early workups should include tests to determine cognitive functioning prior to treatment.”

The Effect on Long Term Cognitive Impairment

This is not the first study to link chemotherapy to long-term cognitive impairment; there are multiple others. In fact, it is such a common occurrence that it has been given its own term CICI (chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment) by medical practitioners, while patients often refer to it simply as chemobrain. With so much evidence pointing to serious cognitive after-effects of conventional breast cancer therapy, perhaps it is time to develop strategies to help prevent it. Possible strategies proposed by Clinical Breast Cancer Journal include: hormonal interventions, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, growth factors, dopamine agonists, cholinesterase inhibitors, anti-inflammatory agents and behavioral interventions.

The phytochemical DIM in bok choy was shown to interact with other proteins that are abnormally present in breast cancer cells, thus terminating cell division and possibly acting as a preventative step against breast cancer and decreasing cancer risk. The DIM experiments used two breast cancer cell lines, both of which were historically isolated from actual breast cancer patients. These cells were grown in the laboratory and fully characterized using various biomedical assays, including determining the rate of cell division and that types of proteins that are excessively produced in order to multiply.

Active research is currently being done on identifying molecular targets that can potentially decrease cancer risk. There is research studies performed on the genes that are associated with cancer risk, whereas investigations focus on other genes that might play a preventative role against the disease. For example, a certain protein may be produced in vast amounts in a cancer cell, whereas this same protein is maintained at a very low level in normal cells. It is thus possible that this specific protein triggers cancer cells to divide, increasing cancer risk. Scientists focus on designing approaches in controlling the production of this protein as a prospective preventative step in regulating cancer risk.

In a recent scientific report, the phytochemical DIM was shown to interact with a particular protein called Cdc25A that was present in the cancer cells. This interaction results in the destruction of Cdc25A, preventing the cultured cancer cells to further divide. The study using two types of cancer cells thus suggest that DIM from bok choy can potentially serve as a preventative reagent in controlling cancer cell division, thus decreasing cancer risk.

So the next time you call in for Chinese food delivery, make sure that you include a dish that contains bok choy. This simple vegetable can be as common as other fruits and vegetables we see in the grocery, but its importance in preventative medicine and cancer risk is quite prominent.

Functional foods are foods that are similar to conventional food, but have been shown to have a physiological benefit as well, such as supporting good health when consumed in the diets of individuals. Functional foods contain functional components that provide potential benefits. Examples of functional foods include: fruits, vegetables, oats, barley, wheat, flax, rye, fish oils, dairy products and…walnuts. As was mentioned, functional foods contain function components; walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, phytosterols and antioxidants. All of these ingredients, individually, have been shown to support good health.

A new study from 2011 supported previous research that showed that adding walnuts into diets leads to good health benefits by reducing the risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers from Marshall University in West Virginia found that regular consumption of walnuts as part of healthy diets may help to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer for future generations. This study was conducted on mice, but may be applied to human diets as well. The researchers found that the mice that were fed walnuts in their diets developed breast cancer at half of the rate of mice that did not have walnuts as part of their diets. Additionally, when the mice that were fed walnuts did develop breast cancer, there were fewer tumors and the tumors were significantly smaller. The diets of the mice consisted of walnuts equivalent to approximately 2 ounces for humans. More research is needed in order to understand the mechanism of tumor suppression and what active ingredient in the walnut is responsible for the lowered breast cancer risk. But for now, the research is positive; diets that include walnuts provide beneficial results and may result in good health.

Currently, research suggests that adding functional foods, such as walnuts to diets, will help people experience good health. Furthermore, functional foods will help to decrease healthcare costs and will help to support economic development in rural communities. Adding a handful or two of walnuts to your diet will be a quick and easy modification that could provide significant results to your health.

Reduce Your Environmental Estrogen Exposure

Estrogen is a hormone that is made by the ovaries. It is responsible for sexual development and required for the proper functioning of the female sex organs. It is also responsible for normal breast development and it stimulates breast cell division. Researchers believe that high estrogen levels can vastly increase a woman’s likelihood for developing breast cancer.

There are also environmental estrogens, which are found in plants and certain chemicals. Your body does not distinguish between human estrogen and environmental estrogen. Over-exposure to environmental estrogens is thus problematic because it increases your body’s overall estrogen levels. According to the Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research, lab studies have found that exposure to certain environmental contaminants such as insecticides and the herbicide atrazine, causes the cells to make more of the 16a-OHE estrogen, which is the type of estrogen most often correlated with breast cancer risk.

Although it is not possible to completely avoid environmental estrogen, there are steps you can take to reduce your overall exposure. The plastic in water bottles and food storage containers contain estrogens and you should switch to glass or ceramic containers where possible. Also, never heat a plastic container in the microwave because that will encourage the release of the estrogen chemicals into your food. Additional environmental estrogen’s to try and avoid include pesticides, food preservatives, BHA, BHT, the food dye Red #3 and formaldehyde.

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

According to the National Cancer Institute, being overweight increases your breast cancer risk factors.  Although your ovaries stop producing estrogen after menopause, excess estrogen can remain in your fat cells. Therefore, the more fat you have, the higher the circulating estrogen will be in your body post menopause.

Exercise Vigorously

Exercise not only helps to maintain a healthy body weight, it also helps to regulate hormone levels, making it doubly beneficial when it comes to lowering breast cancer risk. In order to effectively lower your risk via exercise, it is recommended that you partake in vigorous activities such as running, fast jogging, competitive sports, aerobics, bicycling on hills or fast dancing. The Breast Cancer Research Institute conducted a study on over 32,000 women and found that these types of activities were the most effective when it comes to lowering breast cancer risk. Finally, aim to exercise for four hours or more per week, because that may also decrease circulating hormone levels.

Modify Your Diet

Consume a whole foods based diet high in fruits and vegetables, seeds, legumes, and lean proteins. You should also lower your intake of saturated fats and eliminate all processed foods, trans-fats, fried and greasy foods, sugar and salt.

Many studies have also found a correlation between alcohol consumption and breast cancer–something to consider before you pour your next glass of wine. In addition, The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition (CSNN), recommends consuming two servings a week of salmon, mackerel, tuna, haddock or other cold water fish, as well as eating garlic and onions regularly. Brassica vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage are also beneficial. In fact, studies show that consuming just two servings of brassica vegetables per week can lower your breast cancer risk by 20% to 40%. The regular consumption of soy based products such as soymilk, tofu, miso, tempeh and soy nuts is also helpful in the breast cancer fight. These foods have phytoestrogens, which are food-based estrogens that help to reduce and eliminate excess circulating estrogen from your body, something also said to cut the breast cancer risk considerably.

Fiber is also important, because it not only encourages regular elimination, it also binds to, and removes excess endogenous hormones in your body. CSNN recommends combing approximately 5 grams of fiber 3 times per day, for a total of 15 grams daily.  Finally, choose organic foods when possible, because as mentioned earlier, the pesticides used in conventionally grown foods are toxic and can increase breast cancer risk.

Breast Cancer and Diet Research

A team of scientist led by Dr. Sarah Brennan of Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland, pooled together the results of 18 separate breast cancer studies and analyzed them to see if they could find a correlation between diet and breast cancer. Although the meta-analysis did not examine the specific effects of consuming raw foods, it did find that a woman can lower her risk of developing breast cancer by 11%, simply by consuming a “prudent diet” high in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 10, 2010).

Why Whole-foods

A whole food, plant-based diet likely protects against breast cancer for a variety of reasons. Firstly, consuming this sort of diet will encourage a healthy body weight, and there is a strong correlation between excess body fat and increased breast cancer risk. Secondly, these foods are naturally high in fiber, and fiber helps to lower breast cancer risk by binding to and eliminating excess estrogens from the body. Finally, whole foods are high in a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals which are associated with a decreased breast cancer risk.

Why Raw is Better

Eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains raw (i.e. sprouted) is beneficial because cooking them reduces their antioxidant levels and destroys a vast variety of the other cancer fighting nutrients contained within them.

If you are going to alter your diet to include more raw foods as part of a natural cancer prevention protocol, consider emphasizing the following breast cancer fighting superfoods:

Berries

Consuming fresh, raw berries daily is an easy and delicious method of natural cancer prevention. According to a study conducted at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, at Georgetown University, the polyphenols found in berries help to not only reduce breast cancer risk, they may also help to reduce breast tumor size and growth rate and decrease breast cancer treatment-associated mortality.

The ability of berries to lower breast cancer risk and breast cancer related deaths, is thought to be twofold. Firstly, berries contain a special antioxidant compound called polyphenols which help to prevent free radical damage to cells and DNA. Secondly, phytochemicals found in berries appear to help reduce estrogens in the body and excess estrogens are strongly correlated with increased breast cancer risk.

Dark Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, arugula, dandelion, broccoli, collard and Swiss chard are extremely nutrient dense. They contain fiber, the vitamins A, C, K and folate, and the minerals iron and calcium. In addition, these leafy greens are rich in chlorophyll, which helps to prevent cancer by blocking the metabolism of carcinogens, which are cancer causing chemicals.

Sprouted Seeds, Grains and Beans

Sprouting seeds, grains and beans will allow you to consume them raw and it substantially increases the vitamin, mineral, amino acid and essential fatty acid content of them. Sprouting also increases natural enzymes which make the nutrients more bioavailable. Finally, sprouted grains contain the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, which helps to protect against breast cancer by encouraging healthy cell division.

Reduce Your Environmental Estrogen Exposure

Estrogen is a hormone that is made by the ovaries. It is responsible for sexual development and required for the proper functioning of the female sex organs. It is also responsible for normal breast development and it stimulates breast cell division. Researchers believe that high estrogen levels can vastly increase a woman’s likelihood for developing breast cancer.

There are also environmental estrogens, which are found in plants and certain chemicals. Your body does not distinguish between human estrogen and environmental estrogen. Over-exposure to environmental estrogens is thus problematic because it increases your body’s overall estrogen levels. According to the Sprecher Institute for Comparative Cancer Research, lab studies have found that exposure to certain environmental contaminants such as insecticides and the herbicide atrazine, causes the cells to make more of the 16a-OHE estrogen, which is the type of estrogen most often correlated with breast cancer risk.

Although it is not possible to completely avoid environmental estrogen, there are steps you can take to reduce your overall exposure. The plastic in water bottles and food storage containers contain estrogens and you should switch to glass or ceramic containers where possible. Also, never heat a plastic container in the microwave because that will encourage the release of the estrogen chemicals into your food. Additional environmental estrogen’s to try and avoid include pesticides, food preservatives, BHA, BHT, the food dye Red #3 and formaldehyde.

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
According to the National Cancer Institute, being overweight increases your breast cancer risk factors.  Although your ovaries stop producing estrogen after menopause, excess estrogen can remain in your fat cells. Therefore, the more fat you have, the higher the circulating estrogen will be in your body post menopause.

Exercise Vigorously
Exercise not only helps to maintain a healthy body weight, it also helps to regulate hormone levels, making it doubly beneficial when it comes to lowering breast cancer risk. In order to effectively lower your risk via exercise, it is recommended that you partake in vigorous activities such as running, fast jogging, competitive sports, aerobics, bicycling on hills or fast dancing. The Breast Cancer Research Institute conducted a study on over 32,000 women and found that these types of activities were the most effective when it comes to lowering breast cancer risk. Finally, aim to exercise for four hours or more per week, because that may also decrease circulating hormone levels.

Modify Your Diet
Consume a whole foods based diet high in fruits and vegetables, seeds, legumes, and lean proteins. You should also lower your intake of saturated fats and eliminate all processed foods, trans-fats, fried and greasy foods, sugar and salt.

Many studies have also found a correlation between alcohol consumption and breast cancer–something to consider before you pour your next glass of wine. In addition, The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition (CSNN), recommends consuming two servings a week of salmon, mackerel, tuna, haddock or other cold water fish, as well as eating garlic and onions regularly. Brassica vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage are also beneficial. In fact, studies show that consuming just two servings of brassica vegetables per week can lower your breast cancer risk by 20% to 40%. The regular consumption of soy based products such as soymilk, tofu, miso, tempeh and soy nuts is also helpful in the breast cancer fight. These foods have phytoestrogens, which are food-based estrogens that help to reduce and eliminate excess circulating estrogen from your body, something also said to cut the breast cancer risk considerably.

Fiber is also important, because it not only encourages regular elimination, it also binds to, and removes excess endogenous hormones in your body. CSNN recommends combing approximately 5 grams of fiber 3 times per day, for a total of 15 grams daily.  Finally, choose organic foods when possible, because as mentioned earlier, the pesticides used in conventionally grown foods are toxic and can increase breast cancer risk.

A study published online by the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that nearly a quarter of women who’ve undergone lumpectomies for breast cancer (to have cancerous tissue removed) have had the procedure repeated. A lumpectomy is the most commonly used procedure to remove tumors and cancerous growths in the breast and stop the recurrence of breast cancer.

A wide cross-section of doctors repeat the surgery because there are no structured guidelines to determine how much unaffected breast cancer tissue should be removed. And although the second surgery is seemingly a safety precaution, it is often unnecessary and can result in hospital backlogs. The study did show that some women benefit from having the procedure repeated.

When surgeons perform a lumpectomy they must decide how much healthy tissue they should remove to prevent breast cancer recurrence. Because there is no standard, a surgeon’s decision is based on their own comfort level based on pathology reports. A surgeon attempts to cut cleanly around the tumor and impact the breast as little as possible, but at the same time they must be sure they’ve got enough tissue to halt the spread of breast cancer.

They determine how much tissue to cut by establishing margins, and this is where the discrepancies lie.  In cases of breast cancer a tumor is removed and ink is applied to the entire surface area of the specimen and examined under a microscope. The cancerous tissue shows up in the ink and it shows how close the cancerous cells are in proximity to the healthy ones. If there are no cells touching the ink, many doctors feel comfortable that the cancerous tissue has been effectively removed.

Some, however, are less sure. Other surgeons will choose to perform a second operation if cancerous tissue is found up to five millimeters from the healthy and non cancerous  tissue. And although a number of doctors seem to believe the theory that bigger margins are safer, however there is no evidence supporting it.

The results of the study were based on the records of 2,206 women who’d had lumpectomies at one of four hospitals in different regions of the country. It showed 22.9 percent of them had follow up surgeries, while half had pathology reports that didn’t indicate any cancerous tissue following the initial operation. However, it also showed that 14 percent of patients did not have another breast cancer surgery for unknown reasons.

Because there are no clear-cut guidelines issued by specialists, some doctors are more prone to recommend follow-up breast cancer surgeries than others. The research showed a discrepancy amongst doctors who perform repeat operations from 0 percent to 70 percent.

If there were clearly defined margins to act as guideline for breast cancer surgeries, many repeat surgeries could be avoided, say researchers. But because they are lacking anything definitive to go by, doctors tend to take the approach that lets them feel most comfortable, even if they are providing an unnecessary breast cancer procedure.

Aside from surgery, practically all women who’ve undergone a lumpectomy receive follow-up treatment in the form of radiation or systemic treatment with chemotherapy or hormones. These treatments greatly reduce the likelihood of the breast cancer returning, so a worthwhile option is to move forward with these treatments instead of a follow-up surgery.

For years, there have been supposed links between the use of underarm deodorants and antiperspirants to the development of breast cancer in women. The claims are based on the fact that deodorants and antiperspirants contain parabens, which are chemicals used to increase the shelf life and fight the growth of microbial bacteria on product surfaces. Samples of cancerous breast tissues have often been found to contain traces of parabens.

Parabens contain a weak estrogen-like property, that have prompted some to link them to breast cancer. Estrogen is the female hormone that causes breast cells (both normal and cancerous) to grow and divide.

The theory behind these claims is rooted in the armpits’ proximity to the breast. The majority of cancerous tissue is found in the outer-quadrant of the breast, which makes the connection between the use of such products and the development of breast cancer feasible.

In addition, proponents of the link between the two point out that antiperspirants, in particular, may contribute to cancer because the aluminum it contains acts to blocks sweat glands. They say the aluminum compounds are likely absorbed by the skin, resulting in changes in estrogen receptors in breast cells that increase the risk of cancer.

Both of these theories, however, have been proven inconclusive in regards to their connection to breast cancer risk. Both the scientific community at large, and the American Cancer Society claim that there is no connection between deodorants, antiperspirants and an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Numerous studies have confirmed that there is no strong evidence linking them.

Although parabens have been found in numerous breast cancer studies, the fact is that parabens are found in numerous popular products. They are used in soaps, creams, sun block, cosmetics and even some foods. Therefore, it’s possible the traces of parabens found in breast cancer tissue can come from any number of sources, not just antiperspirants and deodorants.

It’s also important to note that there has never been any evidence that parabens do, in fact, cause or contribute to the development of cancerous cells.

Parabens are very commonly found in most individuals. One study showed that 99% of American adults had traces of parabens in their urine, so there is no evidence that there presence directly leads to cancer.

Numerous studies in the past decade have confirmed that products like deodorant and antiperspirant do not have a direct impact on someone’s susceptibility to cancer.

The parabens do contribute to increased estrogen levels, but findings suggest the amount is quite small. Studies have confirmed that the estrogen-like properties found in parabens are far weaker than naturally-produced estrogen, essentially making any impact on the body very minor, at most.

Doctors tend to suggest that breast cancer, and many other forms of the disease, are the result of a combination of factors ranging from genetics to environment to the foods people consume.