Putting Breast Cancer Awareness To Work

October was the month to raise our awareness about breast cancer – as if we weren’t aware enough. We bought all sorts of pink products so that money would go for breast cancer research, and maybe we were reminded to schedule a mammogram. But there's more we can do to fight breast cancer. We can make changes in our lifestyle to lower our risk for this disease.

It may seem inconceivable that healthy living could protect anyone from breast cancer, but scientists have done hundreds of studies that demonstrate a link between certain behaviors and breast cancer risk. They don’t know which of us can hope to stop this dreaded disease, but we don’t need to wait for all the answers to use what they’ve learned about reducing breast cancer risk and recurrence:

• Eat wisely. Base your diet on vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Limit fats, sugar and anything made with white flour.
• Get moving! Moderate physical activity is enough to reduce breast cancer risk and recurrence. It can be as simple as brisk fifteen-minute walks twice a day, but any amount of exercise helps.
• Keep your weight under control. Eat moderate portions of healthy foods and exercise regularly to keep weight down.
• Limit alcohol consumption to one drink per day -- less is better.
• Breastfeed for six months or more, if possible.
• Avoid hormone replacement therapy. The hormones in these pills are known to fuel the growth of some types of breast tumors.
• Guard your environment. Avoid exposure to chemicals like pesticides and some ingredients in cosmetics and toiletries that might play a role in increasing breast cancer risk.
• Control stress. It dampens your immune system, and there's nothing like stress to make you eat and drink more than you should.
• Don't smoke. And avoid second-hand smoke.
• Get regular mammograms and breast exams. Treatment is more likely to be successful when breast cancer is caught early.

Of course, some women do everything possible to reduce breast cancer risk and still get breast cancer. But there are some of us who might be able to stop this disease.

Awareness Reality Check

Awareness of breast cancer, as I mentioned in an earlier post, is a double-edged sword. There is too much awareness when it raises fears about breast cancer to the point where women overestimate their risk. But a certain level of awareness is necessary for women to understand how they might protect themselves.

An interview with Nancy Brinker, founder of the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Race for the Cure, on the October 1st Oprah show reminded me of a different era when there was too little awareness. When Brinker's sister was diagnosed in the late 70's, no one talked openly about breast cancer, there were no support groups for women with the disease, and little information was available. Brinker says that if they'd known more about breast cancer, her sister might have considered going outside of their small town to get a second opinion at a large cancer center instead of putting her faith in the local doctors. She believes her sister's outcome might have been different if she'd been treated by knowledgeable specialists from the beginning.

Women need to be aware that they should get a second opinion when they're uncertain about the first one. Doctors may have different ideas about what follow-up a woman with a suspicious lump should have or which treatment is best for any particular breast cancer patient.

There is a list of cancer centers on the National Cancer Institute web site as well as a wealth of information. If none of these cancer centers are close enough for even a one-time consultation, it may be helpful to speak to doctors or call local hospitals to find a breast surgeon or an oncologist who is known to treat a lot of patients with breast cancer.

We should be aware that early detection is important because treating breast cancer at its earliest stages is simplest and most effective. Mammograms are not pleasant, but the small amount of discomfort is well worth the peace of mind they bring. We also need to get breast exams as part of our regular check-ups, and check our own breasts occasionally in between.

We should keep in mind that our risk for breast cancer is probably lower than we think, and that if further tests are necessary after having a mammogram, they're most likely to come out negative. Call-backs after a mammogram are common simply for getting clearer views of dense areas in the breast. And 80% of breast biopsies end up being negative.

We should also be aware that it is better to contribute to breast cancer charities directly than to buy pink promotional items. An excellent and informative article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune -- Which pink products really help fight breast cancer? -- addresses the issue of companies using Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a marketing tool. Of course, some companies contribute significant amounts to breast cancer charities, but others do not. The article links to a Guide to buying pink that offers suggestions on what to look for in a pink product to be sure the manufacturer is really using profits to support the fight against breast cancer.

Above all, we need to be aware that one of the best ways to fight this disease is to protect ourselves by using what scientists know about reducing breast cancer risk and recurrence through lifestyle.