Home » About Us » St. David's Healthcare Blog

St. David's HealthCare Blog

Subscribe to St. David's HealthCare Blog.

7 Precautions to Decrease Your Risk of Developing Breast Cancer

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

By Scott Russell, M.D., FACS

October marks National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and St. David’s Georgetown Hospital is supporting the fight for further awareness and education. While the medical profession has made tremendous strides in the struggle against this disease during the last quarter century, the battle is far from over: an estimated one in eight women in the U.S. is expected to develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lives.

In addition to continued public education, St. David’s Georgetown Hospital is also dedicated to the early detection of breast cancer. This commitment is evident in the hospital’s digital mammography unit, which utilizes the latest technology to provide the most thorough and comprehensive breast exam.

Although certain genetic factors may not be preventable, there are other precautions you can take to decrease your risk of developing breast cancer, including:

Know Your Options When it Comes to Screenings: Thanks to recent technological developments there are a variety of breast cancer screening options available today. While it’s recommended that women age 40 or older have a yearly mammogram to check for abnormalities or lumps that may indicate early stages of breast cancer, you should talk to your doctor about the best option and screening schedule for you. These tests can often see cancerous lesions earlier than they can be detected with a self-exam.

Know Your Family History and Share it: This is something all of us should do with our doctors, but it’s even more important for women who come from families with a history of breast cancer. Talk to your doctor about your family history and tests to detect a gene mutation that can indicate a high risk of developing breast cancer as well as ovarian cancers.

When Possible, Limit Exposure to Estrogen: Estrogen levels have been linked to the development of breast cancer. Limiting factors such as alcohol consumption and physical inactivity can minimize a woman’s estrogen exposure. For older women who have experienced menopause, discussing the risks and benefits of estrogen replacement relative to breast cancer with your doctor is particularly important.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: Being overweight is not just an unhealthy lifestyle choice; it is also one that can increase your likelihood of developing breast cancer. This is particularly true for women who have experienced menopause because the majority of the estrogen in a woman’s body comes from her fat tissue, and the more fat on the body the higher the degree of estrogen.

Limit Alcohol Consumption: Alcohol may alter the way estrogen is metabolized by a woman's body and it may cause blood estrogen levels to rise, thus increasing the risk of breast cancer onset.

Never Smoke: Smoking has been shown to greatly increase the risk of several cancers, including breast cancer.

Exercise Regularly: Exercise’s many benefits include helping to prevent breast cancer. It not only helps you maintain a healthy weight level, but by exercising you also modulate high levels of estrogen and may even enhance the immune system.

At St. David’s Georgetown Hospital we understand how frightening of a topic breast cancer can be. However, it is also a topic that cannot be ignored. Open communication with your doctor is the first step towards prevention and early detection. Call St. David’s Georgetown Hospital at (888) 868-2104 for more information, or see your physician.

Scott Russell, M.D., FACS, is a general surgeon at St. David’s Georgetown Hospital.