Tuesday, August 24, 2010

What causes breast cancer and what are the measures needed to prevent it


What causes breast cancer and what are the measures needed to prevent it?
I just want somebody to tell me everything I need to know about breast cancer.What causes it,is it generic,are there foods or other things we use in our daily lives that actually cause it like perfumes?How about chemicals found in the preservatives used in packed or canned foods things like MSG .I would appreciate it if someone clarified this for me
Cancer - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
no one really knows exactly what causes it...some say the genes , others the lifstyle or other external factors. the best u can do is live a healthy life ...there´s not more u can do to prevent it I m afraid.
2 :
We do not know what causes any cancer and there is no way to prevent it. About 10% of breast cancers are hereditary. The biggest risk factors are being female and aging with 75% occurring in postmenopausal women. All women have a 1 in 8 lifetime risk for the disease. The only risk factors you have any control over are alcohol consumption and HRT. The best thing you can do is to have your annual mammograms.
3 :
Nobody knows what causes breast cancer. Between 5 and 10% of cases are hereditary and due to a rare inherited faulty gene. The biggest risk factor is being female - over 99% of those diagnosed are women The second greatest risk factor is getting older - 80% of those diagnosed with breast cancer are over 50 and the average age at diagnosis is a little over 60. Only 5% of all those diagnosed with breast cancer are under 40 and fewer than 0.1% are under 30. It is almost unheard of in under 25s. There are other known risk factors, but they ARE only risk factors, not causes, and by no means everyone who ticks one, some or even all these boxes will develop breast cancer, and many people who are diagnosed with breast cancer have none of these risk factors: Having children at an older age or not at all. The more children a woman has may also slightly lower her risk. Breast-feeding helps protect against the disease. The longer a woman breast feeds her children, the more she lowers her risk. Starting periods at a younger than average age (under 12) or having a late menopause (after 55) . Taking the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) causes a small increase in risk. However, the risk gradually returns to normal after you stop taking them. Being overweight (especially after the menopause). Regularly drinking more than 1 unit of alcohol per day slightly increases the risk of breast cancer. Having a previous diagnosis of breast cancer increases the risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast. No, there is no evidence that any product or food is linked to breast cancer, but some small evidence that a low fat diet may help in prevention. ======== Edit: Questiongeek, just for information: I'm a vegan, I eat a largely organic diet, I exercise, I don't smoke. I got cancer. Explain.
4 :
I'm not a doctor, but common sense would tell me that breast cancer as all cancers could be caused by damaged cells in the body. How do cells get damaged? Poor nutrition, consuming too many toxins and not enough antioxidants. And some people are more susceptible to disease than others. These people should pay closer attention to nutrition and stop putting junk in their bodies. There has been speculation that some cancers, not just lung cancers are caused by smoking, not pure tobacco, but the stuff that's is neatly packaged at the drug store in the pretty boxes. How come when I meet people who are HIV poz, 9 times out of ten it's someone that also has substance abuse problems, and/ or they're alcoholics, they consume crystal meth, or they've "slept" with many people. Who knows what they're doing sexually, and they might be imbibed in substance abuse while they're sexual as well... I used to get colds a lot when I was a kid, and got them more frequently as an adult than I liked to until I started exercising, and stopped drinking so much cow's milk and started juice extracting fruits and vegetables and eating better. Now I hardly get sick. Is this a coincidence? A traditional western medicine doctor would tell me,"Yeah, it's a coincidence." Somehow, I think not and I beg to differ.
5 :
Foods and perfumes neither cause nor cure cancer of any type. Cancer strikes when and where it chooses. There is no way to "prevent it". Some breast cancer is genetically linked to the BRCA gene mutation. However, most breast cancer cases have no known cause.
6 :
Breast cancer is a common form of cancer among women in the United States, Canada and Europe. However, in Africa and Asia, the prevalence is much lower, indicating the possibility of environmental triggers as well as a genetic predisposition. While the number one risk factor is simply being female, other risk factors include: -Age - Breast cancer occurs more often in women over 50 and is less common in pre-menopausal women. American Cancer Society (ACS). -Family History - Women with family history of breast cancer have a greater risk of developing the disease. -Genetic factors - Inheriting mutations or alterations of certain genes called BRCA-1 and BRCAS-2 increases the risk of developing breast cancer. The ACS estimates that 5 to 10 percent of breast cancer cases result from inherited mutations of these genes. A woman with these genes has an 80 percent chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime, according to the ACS. Women with a family history of breast cancer may be tested for the mutated gene. However, interpretation of the test results and decisions about treatment are complicated. Recent studies have identified other genes and gene mutations that may be associated with breast cancer. Several studies have shown nearly 200 gene mutations that are associated with some breast tumors. -Previous history of breast cancer or of Benign breast Tumors - This includes being diagnosed with breast cancer as well as non-cancerous tumors. Research has demonstrated the risk of developing breast cancer varies with the actual type of benign breast disease found in a woman. -Race - Breast cancer is more common in white women than in those of other races, including Hispanic, Asian or black American. . -Hormone factors - Hormones may increase the risk of breast cancer. Hormonal influences that are believed to raise the risk include: -Early menstruation - Women who started their period before 12 years of age. -Late menopause - Women who go through menopause after age 55. -Pregnancy history - Women who have their first child after the age of 30 or who have had fewer pregnancies or no pregnancies. -Hormone drugs - The use of oral contraceptives has been linked to a slight increase in breast cancer risk. -Breast density - Women with less fatty, denser breasts, which are normally older women, have an increased chance of breast cancer. -Obesity after menopause - In postmenopausal women, estrogen is primarily produced by fat tissue. If a woman is significantly overweight, she has more fat tissue and more estrogen is being produced in their body. -Radiation to the chest area - For women treated for Hodgkins Lymphoma with radiation to the chest before age 30, the chances of developing breast cancer are higher than the general population. -Sedentary lifestyle - Women who are physically inactive have a higher rate of breast cancer, possibly due to a sedentary lifestyle. -Use of Alcohol - Several studies have concluded that the more alcohol consumed by a woman, the higher her risk of breast cancer becomes. For prevention of Breast Cancer, if at all we can do anything, it starts with our own Lifestyle choices and healthy habits - such as staying physically active, limiting alcohol and eating right. Among the easiest things to control are what you eat and drink and how active you are. Here are some strategies that may help you decrease your risk of breast cancer: • LIMIT ALCOHOL • MAINTAIN A HELTHY WEIGHT • STAY ACTIVE • CONSIDER LIMITING FAT IN YOUR DIET • Avoid HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (HRT) – • CHECK YOUR BREASTS EVERY MONTH • DO NOT FORGETTO GET • Consider BREASTFEEDING instead of formula feeding • HAVE CILDRENT EARLIER in life • Avoid taking unnecessary ANTIBIOTICS. • Be CAUTIOUS about PESTICIDES • Nothing you can guarantee your life will be free from Cancer. But if you practice healthy habits and consult your doctor about extra measures you can take, you may at least reduce your risk of this potentially fatal disease.-
7 :
No doctor, nor scientist can tell you what triggers breast cancer. For me and my siblings, our Oncologist told all of us the we had the gene for breast cancer. We had the DNA testing at Dana Farber in Boston for theBRCA gene and all were tested +. Out of 8 girls in my family, sisters only, 1/2 of us got breast cancer. My mother was the only one in her family that did not get breast cancer. Her mother, and her 4 sisters all got breast cancer. Only 1 of her sisters survived and that was because it was when they just began doing mastectomies If you smoke, you have a higher risk. If you drink alcolhol, you risk increases. As far as chemicals in foods, or preservatives, you have to grow your own food to stay away from those things. I do grow my own veggies, but I certainly do not have farm animals. So, who knows, Did I get breast cancer because it was genetic. That's what I'm told. Will my other sisters get it. Maybe never, For now, don't ever smoke or drink. At least you have that choice. Be well.




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Posted by breast cancer consultant at 9:52 AM