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Protect against breast cancer can and should

Fear of cancer occurs in the majority of us. But recent studies have shown that there are some simple steps that we can do to reduce the likelihood of the disease.

There is no part of the body, which we would be more worried than on chest. Recent statistics say that today, breast cancer rates have reached 41 000 per year. And they are still rising, so every woman is hard not to think about that, sooner or later, and could overtake her. The questions arise: Do we put at risk of disease, our habits, and that can help us to maintain health and prevent disease? “home” spoke about the vital factors that need to be aware of each woman.

Three factors that lead you to the risk group

Late weight gain. Even a few pounds can play a role. A recent study of women aged 30 to 50 years found that during this period gain even 5% of weight increases the risk of breast cancer after menopause. The more weight you type, the greater the risk. But there is good news: maintaining a stable weight has the opposite effect. In the same study it was shown that women who hudevshih or retain one and the same weight of between thirty years and the menopause, the risk of breast cancer was 40% lower than in those who gained weight. So, if you even recovered between the thirtieth and fiftieth, try to lose extra pounds even after menopause – and you reduce the risk of disease by 20%.

It is also important that you dropped overweight, which they took during pregnancy, and subsequently did not improve.

daily glass of alcohol

While one glass a day the risk increases slightly, to drink this glass still not worth it, especially if you are exposed to other risk factors. In fact, every year, regular use of alcohol plays a crucial role in 2 000 cases of breast cancer. In the larger study habits of women smoking and drinking alcohol, scientists have discovered that a glass of alcohol every day, the risk of breast cancer increases by 6%, but surprisingly, that smoking probably does not matter in this case no role. And although the 6% – a small figure (and if you drink a glass of wine twice a week, the figure would be even less), frequent and severe Drinking may have a significant impact on disease progression. Drinking three glasses a day, you increase the risk of breast cancer by 18%.

The conclusion therefore is this: the more a woman drinks, the greater the risk of the disease. Today, women drink more than before, and if this continues, it will seriously affect the rates of breast cancer in the future.

Denial of an annual survey

Almost half of women still refuse to do mammogram, despite the fact that the annual surveys have saved many lives. Therefore it is important to know that the fatal outcome of breast cancer decreased by 21% over the past decade, despite the fact that the percentage of affected women, conversely, increased. For example, in Sweden, the mortality rate from breast cancer decreased by more than half, since the annual survey has become compulsory 20 years ago. Each year the mammogram detects breast cancer in more than 7 000 women, and it is estimated that almost 3 000 of them the tumor was so small that it would not have been detected during normal inspection. All this means that mammograms detect cancer when the tumor is still small, it is easier to treat and reduce the likelihood that it will spread.

Annual surveys can become even better thanks to the latest medical developments in field. Scientists of the British Cancer Research Center have developed a new method of analysis of mammograms, which revealed the slightest changes in breast tissue. Using this method can detect a tumor with a diameter of 1 mm – this is ten times less than that so far can find traditional analysis. We are testing a magnetic resonance scanner and digital mammography screening for earlier diagnosis of cancer in women at risk.

steps that will help you protect yourself from cancer

There are several risk factors that so far no one can control. The most important – age: to forty years, the probability of the disease 1 to 200, but it increases to fifty to 1 to 23. And you can not affect it – just as the early onset of menstruation or late menopause, which also increases the risk of cancer. So we may concentrate their efforts on what will help you protect yourself, but do not complain about the fate and nature.

Exercise

familiar phrase, but the evidence of pluses of this council are obvious. Physical exercise not only reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and colon cancer, but also protect against breast cancer. Most studies show that sport for half an hour 4-5 times a week can reduce the likelihood of breast cancer at 20-40%.

Eat more vegetables and fruits and although scientists have not come to the conclusion of the relationship of diet and breast cancer, but the largest study of U.S. physicians found that women who consumed fruits and vegetables at least twice a day, the risk of cancer decreased by 17% compared with women who ate fruit only once day. Another study showed that green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, and yellow-orange vegetables such as carrots, even more useful than fruit. There is also evidence that high levels of folic acid contained in green vegetables, legumes and natural orange juice, may reduce the risk of disease in women who drink a glass of alcohol every day. In this case, can help and fiber. So far, it is not clear whether the reduced risk of the use of soy. There is compelling evidence that Asian women who eat a lot of soy, the incidence of breast cancer is much lower than evropeek. However, this requires additional research, as some scientists argue with that statement.

Reduce your fat intake

A diet high in fat, doubles the likelihood of breast cancer. Survey of 30 000 women showed that those who ate more fat, especially saturated, were at risk of breast cancer is twice more than those who adhered to the diet containing a small amount of fat. Evidence of this connection is not indisputable, but there is no doubt that high-fat diet leads to weight gain, which in itself is a risk factor. But reducing the number of meat products helps in the prevention of disease. Although there is no direct evidence of this, the probability of the disease in vegetarians is lower than that of meat eaters.

Read my quota

This means – thoroughly examine their breasts: how it looks in different moments of the monthly cycle, and what feelings you are experiencing it. Then you can immediately fix the slightest change. It should be remembered that a large number of breast cancers detected in women during self-breast. Any nodules and thickening, swelling in the armpit and collarbone, a change in the amount of (one of the breasts may increase or down), change in shape of the nipple (wrinkling, the appearance of yamochek, suppuration), rash around the nipple, the constant pain in the chest and in the axillary depressions are a sign that it’s time to see a doctor.

Most of the tumors – benign, but one of the ten shows atypical hyperplasia, which means that, although these cells and are not cancerous, they develop abnormally, and the risk of breast cancer because of this increased fourfold. This diagnosis indicates the need for greater and more regular surveys.

possible give up hormone replacement therapy

The pill and HRT increase the risk of breast cancer. During the reception rate of contraceptive drugs increased the risk by 24%, but since most of these pills drinkers – young women with low risk factor, then in fact the risk is minimal. As soon as you cease to take them, the risk is reduced and after ten years reaches the same level as if you do not take hormones. With HRT situation is opposite – the risk increases in direct proportion to the duration of admission. Serious recent study found that the risk doubles after ten years of the course of estrogen-progesterone HRT. This study also showed that the risk increases after one or two years of therapy, but it starts to decrease with the discontinuation of hormonal drugs.

Find out their genetic predisposition

Breast cancer mostly occurs in women, in families where someone is suffering from this disease. To find out whether you’re prone to this disease, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

* if you have three close relatives on the same line, which was diagnosed breast cancer “;

* if you have two close relatives in the age of 60 years who have been diagnosed;

* set whether this diagnosis is your mother or sister at the age of 40 years;

* set whether your father or brother diagnosed with cancer at the age of 60 years;

* if you have a close relative with cancer, both breasts, with the first diagnosis was made up to 50 years;

* Have someone in your family, ovarian cancer, colon or breast.

Tell your doctor of family medical history and find out whether there is an opportunity to do genetic analysis on BRTSA1 and BRTSA2 . It is known that inherited mutations in these genes may significantly increase the risk of breast cancer. Yet this only applies to 5% of cases.

breastfeeding

P the birth of each child, you lessen the chance of breast cancer by 7%, and the sooner you will start to give birth, the more it reduces the risk. But it is doubtful whether the women plan their families according to the principle of protection against cancer. Much more simple solution – to breastfeed. Studies have found that each year the breastfeeding reduces the risk of disease by 4,3%. Probably due to the fact that feeding causes hormonal changes, inhibits ovulation and causes physical changes in the cells of the mammary ducts, which increases their resistance to cancers.

New means of protection against cancer

antiestrogenic drugs designated by patients with breast cancer, may be taken as a preventive measure and healthy women who were at risk. This can reduce by one-third the risk of disease. There is evidence that the protection lasts for several years after taking the drug. But, unfortunately, these drugs have side effects, such as venous thrombosis and endometrial cancer. Today, researchers are trying to create new drugs, but with less unpleasant side effects. While well aware that great as a preventive measure by a regular aspirin. In a survey more than 80 000 menopausal women found that women who regularly took two or three aspirin tablets a week for 5-9 years, the risk of breast cancer decreased by 20%.

most important advances in treatment

Major progress in the field of radiation therapy minimizes side effects, including breast tenderness, multiple tumors, the possible damage to the heart and lungs. Being developed radiotherapy with modulated intensity, to deliver precise radiation doses varied in shape and depth of the tumor and thus reduce the impact on the surrounding healthy tissue.

Magnetic resonance scanner (MRS) and positron emission tomography (PET). Scanners help doctors determine the location of the tumor much more accurately. PET scanning involves the injection of special dye that is absorbed by tumor cells, so that they become clearly visible in the picture at an earlier stage.

The new test developed by a group of American scientists created in order to analyze the effect of clusters of genes, which are also known as metageny, which apparently control the behavior of tumors and their response to treatment. The new test will be the most effective treatment.

A vaccine for breast cancer had developed in the laboratories. And although it does not prevent the development of breast cancer, but can help the immune system to recognize a woman’s body itself, attacked and destroy cancer cells.

New ways to use certain drugs. Recent tests have found that the addition of epirubicin to chemotherapy drugs may be one-third increase the chances of women getting rid of early breast cancer. Another study examines the addition dotsetala used for the treatment of women with large tumors, to the standard cocktail of drugs used in chemotherapy to prevent recurrence of cancer.