[lifestyle ] A healthy lifestyle can lower risks

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A healthy lifestyle is the No. 1 preventative measure for women who want to decrease their risk for breast cancer, according to Kalisha Hill, MD, MBA, FCAP, who is Chief Medical Officer, Medical Director, Pathology and Laboratory Services at AMITA Health St. Mary’s Hospital Kankakee and Governor of the College of American Pathologists.

Even women in higher risk categories can lower their own risk for breast cancer by eating healthier and exercising, Dr. Hill said.

“Limit animal products,” she said. “That’s adding hormones to your body. Consider a higher intake of vegetables. Increase your intake of healthy carbs, such as of fresh fruits and vegetables.”Obesity is linked to breast cancer risk, depending on a woman’s menopausal status. Before menopause, obese women have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than do women of a healthy weight. However, after menopause, obese women have one-and-a-half times the risk of women at a healthy

weight.

“A normal BMI is very important,” Dr. Hill explained. “And that is achieved by balanced diet and exercise.”

As women age, exercise such as running can be more difficult with knee or joint pain. However, swimming, Pilates and yoga can provide the same benefit without the pounding.

“Even taking long walks. A brisk walk with minimal impact on your joints will help,” she said.

Women also should stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. Researchers theorize smoking might equally increase and decrease risk because smoking acts against the production of estrogen, a hormone that plays a leading role in breast cancer.

“It’s never too late to start,” Dr. Hill explained. “Even if you’ve already been diagnosed, adjusting your diet and exercise will increase your ability to fight cancer and make you more responsive to treatment. It can also help prevent a recurrence of your tumor or development of a second primary tumor.”

Women should perform self-examinations at least once per month, as you might feel lesions mammograms don’t pick up. Using a circular motion, working your way from the outside of the breast is the most effective method of self-examination, along with squeezing the nipple to check for abnormal discharge. Breast pain, lumps, redness, changes in skin texture or swelling should be communicated to your doctor.

Regularly scheduled screenings are important, Dr. Hill said, including mammograms and breast ultrasounds. African American women and women who have a history of breast cancer might want to start mammograms at age 35; otherwise, 40 is a good age to begin regular checks. Specifically, women age 40 to 54 should screen every year, and those 55 and older do yearly or biennial mammograms.

In addition to traditional mammography, AMITA Health St. Mary’s Hospital is the first in the region to offer scanning using automated breast ultrasound technology. This new screening is FDA-approved for breast cancer screening and used in addition to mammography for women with dense breast tissue.

Multiple studies have found dense breast tissue puts women at additional risk — more than six times likely to develop breast cancer — as dense tissue makes cancer more difficult to detect using only mammography. As breast density increases, the accuracy of mammograms decreases, so often doctors will order both mammograms and ultrasounds for early detection.

Don’t delay your annual mammogram or other screenings because of concerns about the pandemic.

“Come to the hospital to get your screenings,” Dr. Hill urged. “Protections are in place to limit any risk of COVID-19. Screenings are important.”

While there is no guaranteed way of preventing breast cancer, you can reduce your risk with a healthy lifestyle and regular breast exams and screenings to ensure early detection and treatment.