1. Breast Cancer's Genetic Link
Researchers have known for some time that having multiple family members with breast cancer increases a woman's chance of developing the disease. Now, researchers have identified the exact genes carrying the mutations that make a woman more susceptible to breast cancer. Doctors can identify the most common breast-cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, through genetic testing. Women must carefully weigh the benefits of genetic testing, such as knowing whether to increase breast cancer screenings, against the risks, like insurance discrimination, before being tested.
2. Hot Flashes and Hormones
Women considering hormone-replacement therapy to treat hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause may want to consider their breast-cancer risk before initiating therapy. Researchers noted a sharp decline in breast-cancer cases in women over 50 that correlated with a similar decline in hormone-replacement therapy. Tellingly, the decrease was marked in women diagnosed with estrogen receptor positive tumors, meaning that the tumors feed on estrogen. Women should discuss the pros and cons of hormone-replacement therapy in light of these findings.
3. Exercise Your Way to a Reduced Risk
A research study confirmed that among the many benefits of regular exercise, women can enjoy a reduced risk of developing breast cancer. The key in this study conducted by the University of Southern California was the intensity of exercise in which the participants engaged. Research revealed participants who engaged in strenuous exercise for more than five hours a week for at least three years had lower rates of breast cancer than the least active women did. Talk to your doctor about developing a physical fitness regimen if you're a beginner.
4. Surgery Isn't Always Necessary
Thirty-five years ago, a diagnosis of breast cancer meant an automatic radical mastectomy for patients. In this extensive surgery, doctors remove the breast, chest-wall muscles and all of the lymph nodes under the arm. Today, research shows women with early-stage breast cancer benefit from breast-sparing surgery plus radiation therapy as much as those who have a mastectomy.
5. Targeting Aggressive Breast Cancer
Approximately one-fifth of all breast cancer patients have tumors that produce too much of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, or HER2. Although these aggressive breast tumors have a higher chance of recurrence, researchers can now target these cancers and the proteins they produce with a drug tailored to fight the HER2 protein. This drug, Herceptin, can reduce the chance that HER2-producing breast cancers will recur by half. Patients can ask their doctors if Herceptin is an option after chemotherapy.
