During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, you may find yourself giving a little extra thought to this disease, but breast cancer can appear at any time of year. While there is no surefire way to avoid breast cancer, there are steps you can take to mitigate your risk.
What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer refers to malignant cellular growth in the breast. The type of cancer you may be diagnosed with depends on several variables, but cancer types include:
- Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS): Noninvasive cancer found in the lining of the breast milk duct.
- Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: Cancer cells found in the lining of the breast milk duct that spread to other areas.
- Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Cancer that is found in the milk glands and spreads to surrounding tissue.
- Triple-Negative: Cancer found in the breast that does not contain receptors for estrogen, progesterone, or HER-2 hormones.
- Inflammatory: Fast-growing cancer that spreads to skin and lymph nodes.
- Metastatic: Otherwise known as stage 4 cancer, when cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Risk Factors and Prevention
Knowing what your risk factors are is a key step to cancer prevention. Risk factors like family history and age are outside of your control, but there are a few lifestyle changes that can lower your risk of cancer. Some things to be aware of include:
Not smoking
The carcinogens present in cigarettes can increase the risk of all varieties of cancer. If you smoke, quitting can reduce your risk of breast cancer.
Maintaining a healthy weight
Eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly are common tips given to prevent all types of disease, but there’s a reason that advice is so common. Being overweight increases the risk of breast cancer, among other diseases, and diet and exercise can help. If you’re looking to prevent cancer of any kind, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends:
- Limiting sugars and solid fats
- Eating a majority of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
- Avoiding alcohol consumption
- Choosing plant proteins over red meat
Limiting postmenopausal hormone therapy
After menopause, some women elect to undergo hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to offset the effects. However, the use of this therapy can contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer by up to 75%.
While a newer study released in 2020 indicates that long-term HRT may not be as harmful as originally suspected, it demonstrates that there is still a correlation between hormone therapy and breast cancer. Overall, it’s important to talk with your doctor about the risks, and what might be best for you.
What Else Can I Do?
No matter how diligent you are about your habits, breast cancer may still occur. Thus, regular breast examinations are a must. This includes both monthly self-examinations, which involve checking your breasts for lumps or changes, and annual mammograms, which are conducted by a medical professional.
When it comes time for your regularly scheduled mammogram, there’s nobody you can trust like Heartland Imaging Centers. We’re here for you throughout the stages of your life, and understand your needs from health to affordability. To get started on your care, contact us at (502) 429-6500, or schedule an appointment today!