1. Know your family history. Maybe your mother or sister didn't have breast cancer, but maybe your grandmother's sister or your dad's cousin did. Breast cancers that are identified in women as being genetically mutant are only about 8 - 10 % of breast cancers, but that is only the genes we currently (2011) know about. There may be other genes that have not been scientifically identified as of yet, but that could be a factor in determining your own personal risk. The greater number of relatives in your family with breast cancer, the greater your chances of developing it. But if you do not have a family history of breast cancer, remember that younger and younger women are developing the disease, and family history alone accounts for only a small portion of women who are diagnosed. The following factors may play an even greater risk role.
2. Limit your own exposure to hormones. There is exposure we can control and exposure we can't control. For instance, if you started menstruating at the age of 10, obviously you can't control that. But that will have given you an additional 2-3 years of hormone exposure above the "average woman", and increases your risk of developing breast cancer later in your life.
-Eliminating or limiting your use of hormone treated dairy and meat products may have a long term health benefit by reducing the amount of hormones your breast tissue is exposed to. Buy and consume "organic" dairy and meat products.
-Eliminate or limit your use of fertility treatment hormones, oral contraceptives or hormone replacement pills. See our page "What you should know" to learn more about how these substances can lead to the development of breast cancer and the warnings that drug manufacturers are required to disclose about them.
3. Live an active lifestyle! Studies have shown that women who develop breast cancer are more often then not, inactive and or overweight. Maintain your ideal weight and Body Mass Index.
4. Do not smoke . Smoking increases your risk of all cancers, not just lung cancer.
Studies by the University of Toronto and chaired by the university's Neil Collishaw, M.D., found that breast cancer risk in all long-term smokers is about 20% higher than in non-smokers. There also seems to be a coorilation in pre-menopausal breast cancer and women who were exposed to second hand smoke at an early age.
The American Lung Association offers a free online smoking cessation program. Local chapters of the American Cancer Society offer the Fresh Start program to help people quit smoking. You can also call the ACS "Quitline" at 1-800-ACS-2345 to get support and free advice on how to stop smoking from trained counselors.
5. Limit alcohol consumption.
Regular consumption of even a few drinks per week is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in women. This risk may be especially high in women who do not get enough folate in their diet or through supplements. Alcohol can affect estrogen levels in the body, which may explain some of the increased risk. Reducing alcohol intake may be an important way for many women to lower their risk of breast cancer.
6. Perform Self Breast Exam each month Many breast cancers are found early due to self breast exam. Women know their bodies better than anyone else. Because there is no cure for breast cancer, early detection is our only hope of saving lives and preventing more aggressive treatments. Know how to perform this exam on yourself, and then practice it as a monthly habit. Learn how at the American Cancer Society breast awareness and self exam site.
Women should have a baseline clinical breast exam performed by a medical professional beginning at age 20, and continue performing their won at home breast self exams on a monthly basis.
7. Have an annual mammogram beginning at age 40 (younger if you have a family history)
Mammograms detect breast cancers in many cases, and until we have a better screening tool available, women should have this test performed annually. Breast cancers have been known to show up between mammograms, so do not skip a year thinking that because your last test was negative that you are immune to developing breast cancer. Annual mammograms also help radiologists identify changes from year to year, so establishing a baseline mammogram at age 40 may help find breast cancer earlier. Again early detection is all we have right now. For more information please read the American Cancer Society guidelines on this issue.
8.. Obtain your own radiological mammogram report!
Did you know that when you have your mammogram, you are relying on your referring physician to read that report? What if he or she missed a critical piece of information found in that report? Doctors receive hundreds of reports each week. This report is your medical record and you are entitled to a copy of it. Know what words to look for in a mammogram that might signal something suspicious. Words like "mass", "hyperplasia", "hypoplasia", "lesion", "calcification", should not be ignored. If you read any of these words in your mammogram report you should contact your doctor to discuss further. If your doctor does not seem concerned but you are, seek a second opinion. Receiving the note in your mailbox that says come back next year is not enough. You need to ask for the radiological transcribed report.
9. Consult a doctor right away if you find any changes or irregularities in your breast(s)
If you feel a lump no matter how small, a dimple, a discharge, a change in the skin, a redness or an type of change that does not go away with your menstrual cycle, consult your doctor right away.
