Breast Cancer question(s)?

Question

Let's just admit that no woman wants anything bad happening to their breast, right?
Well, lately my concern and worry about breast cancer has increased and I have questions.
First note that my grandmother had breast cancer. My great aunts had breast cancer. My mom had breast cancer.
I also have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which increases my likelihood of breast cancer.

I'm turning 25 in two weeks. What can I do to prevent getting breast cancer? My Internal Care Doc and my Gyno both know my family history and yet no one will check me. They say I'm still young and my breast are still dense. I mean yes they check for lumps, but they won't do anything further.

5 years ago I did have a lump and the biopsy came back negative, but they did remove the lump regardless.

I just am sooo afraid that I'll get cancer. What can I do to prevent this as much as possible?

Answer 1

1. Maintain a healthy body weight (BMI less than 25) throughout your life. Weight gain in midlife, independent of BMI, has been shown to significantly increase breast cancer risk. Additionally, and elevated BMI has been conclusively shown to increase the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer.

2. Minimize or avoid alcohol. Alcohol use is the most well established dietary risk factor for breast cancer. The Harvard Nurses' Health study, along with several others, has shown consuming more than one alcoholic beverage a day can increase breast cancer risk by as much as 20-25 percent.

3. Consume as many fruits and vegetables as possible. Eat seven or more servings daily. The superstars for breast cancer protection include all cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower) ; dark leafy greens (collards, kale, spinach) ; carrots and tomatoes. The superstar fruits include citrus, berries and cherries. Note: it is best to eat cruciferous vegetables raw or lightly cooked, as some of the phytochemicals believed to offer protection against breast cancer are destroyed by heat.

4. Exercise regularly the rest of your life. Many studies have shown that regular exercise provides powerful protection against breast cancer. Aim for 30 minutes or more of moderate aerobic activity (brisk walking) five or more days a week. Consistency and duration, not intensity, are key!

5. Do your fats right! The type of fat in your diet can affect your breast cancer risk. Minimize consumption of omega-6 fats (sunflower, safflower, corn and cottonseed oils), saturated fats and trans fats. Maximize your intake of omega-3 fats, especially from oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, lake trout and herring). Consume monounsaturated oils (canola, olive oil, nuts/seeds, avocados) as your primary fat source, as these foods have potential anticancer properties. Specifically, canola oil is a good source of omega-3 fats; extra virgin olive oil is a potent source of antioxidant polyphenols, including squalene; and nuts and seeds provide you with the cancer protective mineral, selenium.

6. Do your carbs right! Minimize consumption of the high glycemic index, "Great White Hazards" - white flour, white rice, white potatoes, sugar and products containing them. These foods trigger hormonal changes that promote cellular growth in breast tissue. Replace these "wrong" carbs with whole grains and beans/legumes. Beans/legumes because of their high fiber and lignan content are especially special.

7. Consume whole food soy products regularly, such as tofu, tempeh, edamame, roasted soy nuts, soy milk and miso. Only consume organic, non-GMO (genetically modified) soy. Epidemiologic studies have shown a positive association between soy consumption and reduced breast cancer risk.

8. Minimize exposure to pharmacologic estrogens and xeno-estrogens. Do not take prescription estrogens unless medically indicated. Lifetime exposure to estrogen plays a fundamental role in the development of breast cancer. Also avoid estrogen-like compounds found in environmental pollutants, such as pesticides and industrial chemicals. Buy organic produce if you can afford it; otherwise, thoroughly wash all non-organic produce. Minimize exposure to residual hormones found in non-organic dairy products, meat and poultry.

9. Take your supplements daily. A multivitamin, 500-1,000 mg of vitamin C in divided doses, 200-400 IUs of vitamin E as mixed tocopherols, and pharmaceutical grade fish oil. Also take 200 mcg of the mineral selenium or eat one to two Brazil nuts as an alternative. If you have a chronic medical condition or take prescription drugs, consult your physician first.

10. Maintain a positive mental outlook. Engage in self-nurturing behaviors regularly. Develop rich, warm and mutually beneficial relationships with family and friends. Get adequate sleep (7-8 hours per night). The mind-body associations with breast cancer are significant.

Answer 2

You don't mention your age. You don't mention how old your mom or grandmother were when they were diagnosed. If they were >50, one wouldn't need to screen you for breast cancer until the usual 35-40 (the guideline is to begin screening at age 10 years before the age the family member was diagnosed).were they on hormone replacement therapy?

I am a mammographer so I see many MANY woman in similar circumstances. Your best bet at this point is to examine your breasts once a month (by a calendar if your PCO is not giving you cycles). Mammography in very young women is difficult to interpret because the breast is dense. And it is radiation. a LOT of radiation. We only do mammograms in women < 30-35 in VERY specific circumstances...family history is not in that category.

Keep off the abdomen fat, because estrogens hang out in the belly. That is hard with PCOS.

This is a bit drastic, and surgeons generally won't consider this option unless the family members were in their 20's @ diagnosis, OR you have tested positive for the breast cancer gene mutation...some women opt for a prophylactic percutaneous masectomy. Then you will only have skin. Pop in some silicone implants. No more breast cancer fear.

Answer 3

Sorry to hear about your grandma. I had a mastectomy a little over 5 years ago, and I haven't had reconstructive surgery. I felt, and still feel, that after all I'd been through I didn't want to go through any non-essential surgery. And breast reconstruction is major surgery - a much bigger and longer operation than mastectomy. I thought I'd probably opt for reconstruction at a later date - and that's always an option, reconstruction doesn't have to be immediate - but I haven't, and I'm sort of used to the way my body is now. And prostheses are very good these days - nobody can tell when I'm dressed. I have some friends who are very pleased with their reconstructions, others who aren't so pleased and one or two whose reconstructions haven't been successful. My best wishes to your grandma for her surgery and treatment; and to you - watching someone you love go through cancer can be as bad as having it; I know, I've seen it from both sides

Answer 4

i know what u are going through. my mom has had cervical cancer and breast cancer. it's hereditary. however no doctor will check you for it until you are at least 35 years old-unless you have symptoms of having it. just don't worry yourself about it. and if you like broccoli then eat a lot more of it because it is a cancer fighting food. also if you smoke then quit because it gives you higher risk at getting cancer. other than that just relax