Breast cancer risk factors and its prevention Breast cancer is a disease in which cells become abnormal and

form more cells in an uncontrolled way around the breast region. In a more scientific way of defining it, it is a cancerous growth that inherits the tissues in the breast (Patients Medical, 2013). Breast cancer does occur in women and men but for women, the chance of having it is bigger than men. It is the most common cancer among women especially in the United States. Breast cancer is also known as the second-leading cancer killer of women in the United States, after lung cancer. Based on the breast cancer statistics in 2009, 211731 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer and 40676 women in the United States died from breast cancer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). This statistics is really threatening and it arouses our concern as well as attention towards it. Therefore, it is very crucial for us to know the factors that affect a womans risk of breast cancer and its prevention in order to reduce the likelihood of developing it. Actually, there is not much clear statement saying that why someone may develop breast cancer while another may not. Even experts are not very sure about it. However, researchers have found out that there are many risk factors contributing to breast cancer such as age, family history, race and ethnicity, being overweight and tall as well as alcohol drinking. One of the main risk factors of developing breast cancer is age. Risk goes up as a woman grows older. Over 80% all female breast cancers occur among women aged 50 or above who have gone through menopause (Medical News Today, 2012). However, it does not mean that women as young as in their early twenties will not get it. They are just less likely to develop breast cancer. Besides, family history determines the risk of getting breast cancer too. If we have any close relatives who have had breast cancer under 50 years old, we may be eligible for surveillance of breast cancer. Most breast cancer cases are not hereditary. However, particular genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, can increase our breast cancer risk. The BRCA genes repair DNA and control cell division, but when cells divide without normal control they accumulate into the mass of extra tissue known as tumour. It is possible for these genes to be passed on from a parent to their child. A third gene (TP53) is also associated with increased risk of breast cancer (National Health Service, 2012). Next, race and ethnicity determines our risk of developing breast cancer too. White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African American and Asian women. Based on the research by National Cancer Institute in 2009, white women had the highest rate of getting breast cancer, followed by Hispanic, Asian and American Indian women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). However, African American women are more likely to develop more aggressive breast cancer that is diagnosed at a young age and are also more likely to die from breast cancer. This may be due to less access to mammography and lower quality medical care, as well as different lifestyle patterns that are more common in some ethnic groups than the others. The lifestyle patterns include different eating habits and weight issues. Those who practise unhealthy lifestyle like drinking alcohol, smoking and consuming a lot of high-fat diets are at high risk for breast cancer later in their lives. Alcohol may cause a womans blood oestrogen levels to rise, which may in turn increase the risk of breast cancer. Apart from that, our physical appearance such as weight and height determines our risk of developing breast cancer. Women who are obese, tall and have gone through

menopause are more likely to get breast cancer. This is because the amount of oestrogen produced is always linked to our body weight. The body will produce more oestrogen as women are being overweight. However, the reason why being tall is one of the factors of developing breast cancer is not fully understood. The experts predict that it is due to interaction between genes, nutrition and hormones. Besides, drinking increases our risk of getting breast cancer too. It contributes to about 30%-40% of all cancers. Our risk of developing cancer can increase with the amount of alcohol we drink. The more alcohol we drink, the higher our risk of developing breast cancer. Research shows that for every 200 women who regularly have two alcoholic drinks a day, there are three more women with breast cancer compared with women who do not drink at all (National Health Service, 2012). There are a lot we can do to help reduce our risk of developing breast cancer like having regular exercise, reducing a womans exposure to estrogen, taking selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and avoiding exposure to radiation or hazardous chemicals as the saying goes Prevention is better than regrets. As we know, regular exercise is the most important key to good health. According to ABC News, (April 23, 2013), nearly 30 studies have shown that women who exercise at moderate to vigorous levels for three or more hours per week reduce their risk of getting breast cancer by 30 percent to 40 percent. Women are advised to engage in moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 30 minutes per day, preferably more for optimal benefit. In this context, women who exercise regularly are able to manage their weight by burning more calories, and they can maintain a healthy weight based on Body Mass Index (BMI). Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is crucial for overall health and it helps to prevent us from getting all kinds of diseases including breast cancer as well. In order to reduce the breast cancer risk, it is better for us to engage in physical activity rather than relaxing in front of the television, surfing the webs or working long hour. Womens less exposure to estrogen may help to prevent breast cancer. In this aspect, the length of time of a womans exposure to estrogen can be decreased through pregnancy and breastfeeding. Estrogen levels are lower during pregnancy. If a woman has her first fullterm pregnancy before 20 years old, the risk of breast cancer appears to be lower. Besides, women who breastfeed for more than one year are less exposed to estrogen, and therefore lower womens risk of getting breast cancer. A team of researchers from the University of Granada in Spain reported in the Journal of Clinical Nursing that breastfeeding for at least six months reduces the risk of early breast cancer (Medical News Today, 2012). This is because women do not ovulate while they are breastfeeding. Thus, the estrogen levels remain stable. However, most of the mothers nowadays do not breastfeed their babies although they are aware of the health benefits of breastfeeding. According to the UKs Department of Health statistics, only one in five mothers are breastfeeding after six month (Atkins, 2009, p.g 85). So, it is advisable for mothers to practise breastfeeding for their own health benefits. In short, women who are pregnant and breastfeed after giving birth are less likely to develop breast cancer than those who do not. Another protective step that may decrease the risk of breast cancer is selective estrogen receptor modulators. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are drugs that act like estrogen on some tissues in the body, but block the effect of estrogen on other tissues. Tamoxifen is a SERM that belongs to the family of drugs called antiestrogens. Antiestrogens block the effects of the hormone estrogen in the body. Tamoxifen lowers the

risk of breast cancer in women who are at high risk for the disease. Taking tamoxifen increases the risk of developing other serious conditions, including endometrial cancer, stroke, cataracts and blood clots. The risk of developing these conditions increases with age. Women younger than 50 year old who have high risk of breast cancer may benefit the most from taking tamoxifen. (National Institute of Health, 2013) So, talk to the doctors about the risks and benefits of taking these drugs. In addition, women should avoid unnecessary medical radiation and environmental pollutants to prevent breast cancer risk. Radiation therapy to the chest for another cancer treatment may increase breast cancer risk. According to the National Academy of Science, (2011), the researchers have identified a consistent scientific evidence of an association with breast cancer. The evidence indicates a possible, though currently less clear, link to increased risk for breast cancer from exposure to benzene, 1, 3-butadiene, and ethylene oxide, which are chemicals found in some workplace settings and in gasoline fumes, vehicle exhaust, and tobacco smoke. In this aspect, if we have any radiation to the chest or face during our adolescent years, we are at high risk of developing breast cancer later in life. This is because our breast tissues develop during adolescence, the moment when we reach puberty. Exposure to significant doses of radiation would affect the breast development and gradually develop into new genetic abnormalities, called mutations. Thus, women should be more aware of breast cancer risk factor and try to avoid exposure to radiation. To conclude, womens breasts are more vulnerable to cancer than the other organs, probably because of the unique ways they are built and function. Even though we have made some progress in improved diagnostics, better treatments and a deeper understanding of breast cancer risk factors, breast cancer still remain the most common cancer in women. Therefore, women should concern more about their body health and identify all the risk factors to reduce breast cancer risk. Every woman is at risk to breast cancer. Some are more prone to develop breast cancer than the others, but sometimes risks can be random. Even slim vegetarian yoga coach with no family history gets breast cancer. So, all of us should be aware of breast cancer and need to take steps to lower our risk by changing our unhealthy daily lives and having medical check-up once two years because early detection, save lives and save breasts. Together, we can make great strides towards the goal prevention. (1698 words)