Breast Cancer- Facts and Beyond…
Asian Institute of Medical Sciences has started an awareness drive for the rising number of Breast cancer cases in the City. Modern lifestyle has given us an endless list of comfort but partly on the cost of our health. In Females, breast cancer is surpassing cervical cancer incidence in the selected patch of Metros in India.
Lucky Mothers -Women who have had no children or who had their first child after age 30 have a slightly higher breast cancer risk. Early children reduce the chances of Breast cancer, the reason being, Pregnancy reduces a woman’s total number of lifetime menstrual cycles, which may be the reason for this effect. Some studies suggest that breastfeeding may slightly lower breast cancer risk, especially if it is continued for 1½ to 2 years. But this has been a difficult area to study, especially in metros, where breastfeeding for this long is uncommon.
NO Baby Studies have found that women using oral contraceptives (birth control pills) have a slightly greater risk of breast cancer than women who have never used them. “Being overweight or obese after menopause increases breast cancer risk, more fat tissue after menopause can increase your chance of getting breast cancer by raising estrogen and insulin levels in the body. Also, excess fat in the waist area may affect risk more than the same amount of fat in the hips and thighs Said Dr. Anshuman Kumar, Director Asian Cancer Centre at Asian Institute of Medical Sciences”.
NO Activity Evidence is growing that physical activity in the form of exercise reduces breast cancer risk. The main question is how much exercise is needed. In a study from the Women’s Health Initiative, as little as 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman’s risk by 18%.
For the working women particularly in a metro city, sun exposure (A natural source of vitamin D formation) has come down to zero. Women with low levels of vitamin D have a higher risk of breast cancer. Vitamin D plays a role in controlling normal breast cell growth and may be able to stop breast cancer cells from growing.
According to Dr. Anshuman “Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have this disease. Having one first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman’s risk. Having 2 first-degree relatives increases her risk of 3-fold.
Lowering your risk
At this time, the best advice to reduce the risk of breast cancer is: