4 Ways to Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk

4 Ways to Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk

By Edward C. Geehr, M.D.

Published October 02, 2008

New research and advances in technology are improving detection and pinpointing ways to reduce your risk of breast cancer. During National Breast Cancer Month in October, LifeScript explores some of the latest developments in a disease that kills 40,000 women annually. Plus, find out your breast cancer risk…

About 185,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed this year, and more than 40,000 women will die from the disease. The government and private industry are continuously looking for new ways to prevent and detect breast cancer, from simple aspirin, to vegetables, to molecular breast imaging. Here are the latest developments.

Eat Cancer-Fighting Foods New studies continue to explore the link between breast cancer and diet. Eating cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, may help to lower the risk of developing breast cancer, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports.

In a study of 6,000 Chinese women, those who consumed the most quantities of Chinese cabbage and white turnips had a lower risk of breast cancer than those who ate the least amount of the cruciferous vegetables. The benefit was greatest among women who carried a gene variant that correlates with higher breast cancer risk. The authors called for more research to identify other groups who may benefit from the healthy veggies.

Resveratrol is the focus of much research on cellular aging. Now a study in the Journal of Cancer Prevention Research has found that it might also suppress abnormal cell growth that can lead to breast cancer. It is found in grape skins, red wine and grape juice. Some think it is the key to unlocking longevity because it’s thought to mimic the effects of calorie restriction, which is known to extend the lifespan of laboratory animals.

Here’s how resveratrol may work: Researchers believe many types of breast cancer are fueled by the presence of estrogen. Without estrogen, the estrogen receptors in breast cells just sit there quietly. But when estrogen is around, it enters the cell and binds to the receptor. This new combination of estrogen plus receptor gets very active and actually binds to sections of the DNA in the cell nucleus.

This is where the trouble seems to begin. Some genes along the DNA strand can become activated by this binding, guiding the manufacture of new proteins in the cell, which can lead to cell damage and ultimately, cancer.

Here’s where naturally occurring resveratrol comes in: Researchers believe it induces cells to create an enzyme that interferes with estrogen’s effect on cellular DNA, and that, in turn, may block a cascade of cellular changes that can eventually result in breast cancer formation.

Pop an AspirinSimple aspirin, one of the most common over-the-counter medications in the country, may reduce the risk of developing a type of breast cancer. In a study published in the online journal Breast Cancer Research, an aspirin taken daily reduced the risk of estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer by 16%. The study included more than 127,000 women aged 51 to 72 with no history of cancer who participated in the U.S. National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health research. Aspirin falls into the general category of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but the benefit does not appear to extend to other NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

Estrogen receptor positive cancers (cancer cells that need estrogen to grow) represent about 85% of all breast cancers. No link was found between aspirin and reduction in estrogen receptor negative tumors (cells that are not usually affected by estrogen and progesterone levels).

But before you jump on the aspirin-a-day bandwagon, cancer experts have urged caution. The American Cancer Society, for example, does not recommend using aspirin for cancer prevention because of potentially harmful side effects such as gastrointestinal bleeding. It recommends that you consult with your physician and weigh the benefits against the potential risks.

Advances in Breast ImagingOn the horizon are some new imaging techniques designed to improve the detection of breast cancer. One is known as Stereo Mammography, also called 3-D mammography. Research suggests it might be more sensitive at detecting breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. About half of women younger than 50 and a third older than 50 have dense breasts, and sometimes the tissue can be too dense to give a clear picture.

Traditional mammograms provide two-dimensional images of a surface that has depth and density. Stereo mammograms allow radiologists to see the X-ray images in 3-D using stereoscopic glasses, much like in the movie theater. The radiologist gets two different views of the breast tissue that the brain organizes as a single, detailed image, potentially improving the sensitivity of the mammogram.

In an unpublished three-year Emory University study, radiologists compared a conventional mammogram with a 3-D mammogram in women at risk for breast cancer. The study reported a 20% improvement in cancer detection rates and a 45% decrease in false alarms. The 3-D mammograms also had 79% accuracy, while standard mammograms had 57%.

Another innovative approach to breast imaging observes how the breast tissue interacts with a short-acting radioactive tracer. Cancer cells absorb more of the tracer than normal cells. This is the same agent used by cardiologists for many years to image the heart during stress tests. The tracer momentarily collects in breast tumors, lighting up when observed with a gamma camera. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have been studying so-called molecular breast imaging, or MBI.

An initial study compared MBI with expensive and time-consuming MRIs in high-risk women, and found the MBI was nearly as effective as MRIs at detecting tumors, but with much less time and expense.

Next, the Mayo researchers compared MBI to conventional mammography. The results showed that MBI can detect three times as many cancers in women with dense breast tissue as mammograms.

MBI is not yet recommended as a primary screening tool over traditional mammograms. But researchers suggest that it could be used in high-risk women in whom dense breast tissue precludes a clear image with mammography. More studies are planned to establish guidelines for use.

Get FitYou can’t do much about your genetic risk or the fact that the risk increases with age. But you can control the lifestyle choices that influence your risk.

Exercise and weight loss reduce risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the combination also reduces your breast cancer risk, as obesity after menopause increases the risk. And you can further reduce your risk with regular exercise. Studies suggest that three hours of vigorous exercise each week reduces breast cancer risk by 20%.

Moderate amounts of alcohol may improve cardiovascular risk factors, but where breast cancer is concerned, there is no safe amount to drink. Drinking a single alcoholic drink each day slightly increases the risk.

Any exposure to supplemental estrogen increases breast cancer risk, including birth control pills and combination hormone therapy after hysterectomy or after menopause. If hormone therapy is administered, most experts recommend that it be taken at the lowest dose for the shortest period of time.

What's Your Breast Cancer Risk?The biggest risk factor for developing breast cancer is simply being a woman, though a small percentage of men develop it, too. Fortunately, with better screening processes for early detection, breast cancer doesn't have to be fatal.