Breast Cancer Prevention

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women and affects women of all races and ethnic groups.  Early detection has been the key to preventing death from breast cancer, but times are changing.  Interventions have been identified that can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, meaning that some women who would have had cancer and might have died from it will be spared. 

Risk factors for breast cancer are divided into two groups: those that you can change (modifiable risks) and those that you can’t change.  Unfortunately, the risks that seem to carry the most weight are the ones that you can’t really change.  They include:

Risk factors that you have more control over include:

There are fortunately some factors that can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.   Many  risk factors are associated with prolonging the length of time that the breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.  Women who start menstruating before 12 or 13 have more risk than those who don’t begin to menstruate until 14 or older.  Delivering a first living baby before the age of 20 has a beneficial effect on breast cancer risk, and breast-feeding at any point also reduces risk.  Exercise and maintaining an ideal body weight has proven to reduce breast cancer and many other health related risks as well. 

Intervention may reduce the incidence of breast cancer in women at increased risk.  The first step is determining the degree of risk.  Your individual level of risk can be determined by answering a series of questions about your personal and family history.  Once the level of risk is identified, then recommendations can be made for close follow up, possible use of medicine to reduce risk, or even, in some high risk individuals, surgical procedures to reduce risk of breast cancer. 

Meeting with a certified genetics counselor is also recommended for families with an extensive history of breast or ovarian cancer.  Some of these families have gene mutations that carry a 50 to 85% chance of developing breast cancer in a lifetime.  Recognizing which members of families carry the abnormal gene can help in family planning and reduce fear of cancer in individuals not affected by the gene.  Blood tests are available to identify the genetic mutations associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.   

Knowing what the risks are and how much risk you have can mean the difference between acting before cancer strikes and reacting once the disease occurs.  A qualified medical provider can work through the process of risk assessment and continue to walk down the road of early detection, or better yet, prevention of breast cancer.

If you are interested in obtaining more information concerning genetic testing and/or counseling, click on the pink ribbon below to send an e-mail to our PA-C, Kate Vellis.