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Early detection and prevention can reduce the risk of breast cancer in women, say experts.
According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, more than 41,000 women still die each year from breast cancer, despite pink ribbons and parades.
According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 237,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year.
Tamara Link, an assistant professor at the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina in Wilmington, explains that these numbers mean that one in eight women will face breast cancer at some point in her life. (And one in a thousand men, the cancer is not gender-specific and 2,100 new cases are diagnosed in American men each year.)
The good news, according to the American Cancer Society, is that five-year breast cancer survival rates are approaching 100% if the disease is detected early. And doctors are doing their best to push the boundaries of screening.
Dr. Lindsey Procashka, oncologist, is working on 3D mammography at the New Hanover Regional Medical Center. This technique – approved by the Food and Drug Administration and covered by most health insurance plans – uses multiple x-rays of the breast to create a three-dimensional image on a computer.
"It's certainly more sensitive than traditional mammography," Prochaska said. "It's especially effective for women with dense breast tissue." She noted that one of the drawbacks is that 3D mammograms sometimes detect "false positives", masses or other features that do not turn out to be cancerous, which may cause patients to undergo potentially painful and unnecessary biopsies.
The American Cancer Society urges women to undergo mammography screening every year starting at age 45; the chances of developing breast cancer increase with age. Women with a family history of breast cancer may be advised to start earlier, especially if their loved ones have developed aggressive forms of cancer.
Marilie Gammon, a professor of epidemiology at the Gillings School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, to some extent determines the risks of breast cancer in women.
Women who start menstruating early (menarche) and late menopause are at higher risk, Gammon said. The more a woman has children, the less she has risk of breast cancer. Breastfeeding also seems to reduce the risks.
However, some lifestyle choices seem to reduce risk, depending on the current risk, Gammon said. Healthy eating and exercise support; overweight and obese women have higher rates of breast cancer. Some studies suggest that a high-fat diet increases the risk of breast cancer. The researchers suggest a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
It might be a good idea to reduce one's alcohol consumption; Consuming more than three alcoholic drinks a day increases the risk, according to some studies, Link said. Two studies suggest a link between smoking and breast cancer, said Gammon.
At the UNWC, Link works with breast cancer survivors. It's a big population. More than 3.1 million survivors live in the United States.
"Survivors often feel really lost," Link said. "Once the diagnosis and treatment is complete, it's like they're in a hole."
Treatment options are a problem for survivors, Link said. Surgery can leave scars, body image problems and pain. In addition to hair loss and fatigue, chemotherapy can cause a "mental fog" and lead to osteoporosis and nerve damage that can result in tingling and numbness of the fingers and toes. Patients on hormone therapy may have difficulty sleeping, hot flashes and even premature menopause.
Anxiety, depression and sexual problems are other problems for survivors. "It all depends on the treatment," said Link.
Fortunately, a series of support groups are present in the community to help the survivors. And survivors can take steps to prevent their cancer from recurring: healthy eating, exercise, limiting alcohol consumption and stopping smoking.
Training in meditation and mindfulness – "focusing on the here and now, staying in the present moment," said Link, can contribute to a large extent to reducing stress.
The reporter Ben Steelman can be reached at 910-616-1788 or at [email protected].
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