文章基本信息

标题：Breast cancer risks
作者：Paula M. White
期刊名称：Essence
印刷版ISSN：0384-8833
出版年度：1998
卷号：Oct 1998
出版社：Atkinson College Press

Breast cancer risks

Paula M. White

There's been a buzz this year over two powerful drugs shown to prevent breast cancer in women who are at high risk. The drugs--tamoxifen and raloxiten--may save the lives of some women, but most of us will benefit from understanding those factors that put us at risk and taking steps to protect our breasts:

AGE The majority of American women diagnosed with breast cancer last year--76.8 percent--were over age 50. However, the rate among Black women under 45 is higher than for White women of the same age. It is not known why, says Otis W. Brawley, M.D.. director, Office of Special Populations Research at the National Cancer Institute, but excess weight and diet may play a role.

FAMILY HISTORY If a first-degree relative (for example, mother, sister or daughter) has breast cancer--especially before age 40--you are at a higher risk, says Shereen Beverly, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist in La Habra, California. Inheriting mutations of the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 also increases your chance of developing the disease.

ABNORMAL BIOPSY Women who have had breast lumps (for example, cysts or fibroadenomas) that were found to contain either abnormal or precancerous cells are more prone.

LATE CHILDBEARING If you had children after age 30 or are childless, you are at an even greater risk, says Beverly, because you have been continuously exposed to estrogen, a hormone believed to increase the growth of breast tumors. "When you're pregnant, the production of estrogen is interrupted," she explains. "So it's believed that pregnancy and subsequent lactation reduce risk."

EARLY MENSTRUATION Getting your first period before age 12 is another reason for concern because it adds to the amount of time your breasts are exposed to estrogen.

To detect cancer early, check your breasts on a monthly basis. If you fit into any of the above high-risk categories, Beverly suggests you also have a baseline mammogram between age 35 and 40 and one every other year thereafter. The American Cancer Society advises that women over 40 schedule mammograms annually. The experts also recommend these preventive measures: exercise regularly; * eat a low-fat diet high in cancer-fighting vegetables and fruits; and * drink no more than three servings of alcohol per week.