Breast Cancer Prevention Articles
ARTICLE #1
See Pink in October—Test That Can Save Your Life
If you see a lot of pink this fall, it’s because October is National Breast Cancer
Awareness Month (pink ribbons are the signature of breast cancer survivors). This
annual program is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about the importance of
early breast cancer detection.
The National Cancer Association reports that there are more than two million breast
cancer survivors in the United States today. Early detection is key to surviving this
disease, which can afflict men as well as women. Here are a few things you, or someone
you care about, can do:
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Complete an annual clinical breast exam (usually part of a woman’s annual
exam).
Complete a regular mammography screening, starting at the age of 40.
Perform monthly breast self-exams.
Complete HealthQuotient® (HQ), an online heath risk assessment, to find out if
you’re at risk and take preventive action. HQ is available through InTouch for
Members, a resource provided by PacificSource at PacificSource.com.
For more information about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit
www.nbcam.org/.
© 2009
ARTICLE #2
Breast Cancer: An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure
The best defense against breast cancer is a good offense. There are no perfect
solutions, but you can do many things to reduce your risk. Making the following changes
in your life will improve your overall health and also may significantly reduce your risk for
breast cancer:
Stop smoking. Research shows that smoking is associated with an increased risk of
developing breast cancer. Smoking can also increase complications from breast cancer
treatment. It can worsen radiation damage to the lung, cause difficulty healing after
surgery, and increase the risk of blood clots with hormonal therapy.
Smoking is a habit that's very hard to break, and knowing all of the dangers associated
with it isn't always enough to make you quit. Fortunately, PacificSource has several
options to help you quit: sign up for Free & Clear tobacco cessation program, take a
hospital-based education class, or explore InTouch Health Manager. To find out more
about these programs, visit PacificSource.com > For Members > Health and Wellness
Programs.
Get more exercise. Scientists have found that five hours of exercise a week may lower
the risk of breast cancer. Over time, exercise may be able to lower the estrogen levels in
your body. Estrogen stimulates breast cell growth, which is associated with breast
cancer. Other research on exercise and breast cancer has found that exercise can help
boost the immune system, limit weight gain, and help ease treatment side effects.
Maintain a healthy weight. Because fat cells make extra estrogen that can stimulate
breast cell growth, overweight women have an increased risk of getting breast cancer
after menopause. Being overweight can also increase the risk of breast cancer coming
back in women who have had the disease.
As we age, it's harder to keep weight under control because our metabolism slows and
we tend to get less exercise. But if you can stick to a low-fat, low-calorie diet and stay
physically active, weight is much easier to control.
Reduce your exposure to estrogen. Prolonged exposure to estrogen without a break
can increase your risk for breast cancer. To reduce or eliminate sources of extra
estrogen from your diet and environment, try the following steps:
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Shed extra pounds, and keep those pounds off.
If you have already had breast cancer, avoid taking estrogen-like and
progesterone-like products, such as menopausal hormone replacement therapy
(HRT) and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone). If you decide to use estrogen with
your doctor's advice, use the lowest dose possible.
Limit alcohol to no more than five alcoholic drinks a week. Significant alcohol use
is unhealthy for your liver, which helps regulate estrogen levels in your system.
Limiting your alcohol intake helps your liver keep blood estrogen levels low.
Restrict sources of red meat and other animal fats (including dairy fat in cheese,
milk, and ice cream), because they may contain hormones, other growth factors,
antibiotics, and pesticides.
If circumstances allow, consider having children sooner rather than later in life
and breastfeed your babies. A full-term pregnancy, which stops your menstrual
cycle for nine months, seems to offer protection against breast cancer.
And remember, eat four to five servings of fruits and vegetables everyday.
Take Action: Complete the health assessment to find out if you’re at risk and take
preventive action. The health assessment is available CaféWell, an online health
engagement portal. To get started, go to PacificSource.com, log into InTouch, and then
click on the CaféWell button.
For more information about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit
www.nbcam.org/.
© 2009
ARTICLE #3
Breast Cancer in Men
It may come as a surprise, but breast cancer is not just a women’s issue. Each year
approximately 1,700 men in the United States learn they have breast cancer. Although
breast cancer is rarer in men, it is often also more severe. This makes early detection
very important.
Because men have very little breast tissue, it is easier for men and their healthcare
professionals to feel small masses. On the other hand, because men have so little
breast tissue, cancers do not need to grow large enough to reach the skin covering the
breast or the muscles underneath the breast. Therefore, although male breast cancers
tend to be slightly smaller than female breast cancers when they are first found, they're
more likely to have spread beyond the breast.
The extent of this spread is the most important factor in the chances of survival. Men can
use many of the same protocols as women to reduce their risk of breast cancer—eat
right, don’t smoke, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise. Similarly, men also need to
become familiar with their breasts and perform regular breast self exams.
Take Action: Complete the health assessment to find out if you’re at risk and take
preventive action. The health assessment is available CaféWell, an online health
engagement portal. To get started, go to PacificSource.com, log into InTouch, and then
click on the CaféWell button.
For more information about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit
www.nbcam.org/.
© 2009