How to Prevent Breast Cancer

Breast cancer. Words that no one wants to hear. Yet one in eight women will hear these words at some point, and breast cancer is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in American women. Early diagnosis may or may not improve outcome – I will discuss this in a future blog. But how can we prevent breast cancer? Statins, which are medicines used to reduce cholesterol, have shown inconsistent results in various studies as a possible way to reduce risks. Regular exercise of four or more hours per week has been shown to be helpful, as has limiting alcohol to one drink or less per day. There are many medications and even surgical procedures which reduce cancer risks but may not be applicable to every woman. Meeting with your physician to review your personal and family risks factors can be empowering, and possibly life-saving. Be sure to bring up this subject at your next gynecologic visit. And in the meantime, read more here:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/breast/Patient/page1