THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO
BREAST HEALTH
BREAST CANCER IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF CANCER DEATH IN WOMEN EVERY YEAR. HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO ENSURE YOUR OWN BREAST WELLNESS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE By Lisa Turner
B
reast cancer is a big, scary diagnosis. But many other issues, like benign lumps, bumps, and breast tenderness, affect women every day. Here’s your complete guide to protecting your breasts against cancer and other conditions, from puberty through menopause and beyond.
BREAST CANCER In spite of advances in treatment, breast cancer is frighteningly prevalent, and affects more than 12 percent of American women. That means if you have eight female friends who live to be 85, at least one of them will probably get breast cancer at some 36
point during her life. The good news: it’s very treatable if detected early, and in nine out of 10 cases, she’ll live at least another five years, and usually longer. But once it starts to spread, treatment becomes difficult—so it’s important to get regular screening exams and check your breasts regularly (see the sidebar “How to Do a Breast Exam”).
Although the exact causes of breast cancer aren’t clear, the main risk factors are. Some of the most significant include: ✜ AGE: about 67 percent of women who get breast cancer are over 50; most of the rest are between 39 and 49 years old.
✜ MEDICAL HISTORY: women
who’ve previously had breast cancer—or endometrial, ovarian, or colon cancer— are at greater risk. ✜ FAMILY HISTORY: women whose mother, sister, or daughter have had breast cancer, especially before menopause, are two to three times more likely to develop breast cancer. ✜ GENETICS: mutations in certain genes—called BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes—predispose a woman to breast cancer, with a lifetime risk of 45 to 80 percent. ✜ ETHNIC BACKGROUND: AfricanAmerican women are more
likely to get breast cancer before menopause. ✜ HORMONES: the greater a woman’s exposure to estrogen, the more likely she is to develop breast cancer. Specific factors that increase risk include early start of menstruation, late menopause, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) with combined estrogen and progesterone. ✜ RADIATION: high doses of radiation can increase the risk of breast cancer. ✜ OBESITY: obesity alters estrogen metabolism and increases risk, especially in postmenopausal women.
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