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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in New York State. Each year in New York, more than 16,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and about 2,500 women die from the disease.

Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms. Women should ask their doctor about when to get a mammogram.

Certain lifestyle changes may help to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer. They include:

Stop or reduce alcohol use: The more alcohol consumed, the greater risk of developing breast cancer. For example, women who have 2-3 alcoholic drinks per day have about a 20% higher risk of breast cancer than women who do not drink alcohol. Women can stop drinking alcohol or lower their risk by only consuming one alcoholic beverage a day.

Don’t smoke: Women who currently smoke and have been smoking for more than 10 years have about a 10% higher risk of breast cancer than women who have never smoked.

Weight loss in postmenopausal women: After menopause, both increased body weight and weight gain are linked with a higher risk of breast cancer. Weight loss has been linked to lower breast cancer risk. Women should try to stay at a healthy weight. If weight loss is needed, women should talk to their doctor for healthy ways to do it. Lowering fat intake and eating more fruit, vegetables, and grains have been associated with reducing deaths following breast cancer diagnosis.

Exercise: Women who get regular exercise have about a 10%-20% lower risk of breast cancer than women who are not active. Increased physical activity may reduce breast cancer risk by lowering estrogen and insulin levels. The American Cancer Society recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week, preferably spread throughout the week.

Breastfeeding: The longer a woman breastfeeds, the more it reduces her chances of getting breast cancer.

Limit postmenopausal hormone therapy: When taken for more than five years, some forms of hormone replacement therapy (those that include both estrogen and progesterone) taken during menopause can raise the risk for breast cancer. Women should talk to their doctor about the risks and benefits of hormone therapy. Nonhormonal therapies and medications might be used to manage symptoms instead.

Medical and surgical risk reduction strategies: Antiestrogens or other medications that block or decrease estrogen in the body (chemoprevention drugs) and/or preventive surgery (prophylactic mastectomy) greatly reduce breast cancer risk. These may be appropriate options for some women at very high risk.

The following factors DO NOT influence breast cancer risk:

• Chlorinated chemicals including polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, and organochlorine pesticides such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane
• Antioxidants- vitamin A, E, or C or beta-carotene
• Tubal ligation
• Abortion (induced or spontaneous)
• Caffeine
• Cosmetic breast implants
• Electromagnetic fields
• Electric blankets
• Hair dyes

References:

New York State Department of Health: https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/cancer/registry/abouts/breast.htm#:~:text=Breast%20cancer%20is%20one%20of,breast%20cancer%20during%20her%20life.

Chlebowski, Rowen T. Factors that modify breast cancer risk in women. In: UpToDate, Post, TW (Ed), UpToDate, Waltham, MA: UpToDate Inc. Inc. http://www.uptodate.com. (Accessed on September 19, 2023.)

American Cancer Society:  https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/risk-and-prevention/can-i-lower-my-risk.html

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/risk_factors.htm and https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/breastcancerawareness/index.htm

Susan G Komen: https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/risk-factor/factors-that-affect-risk/