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Breast Cancer News
"Great news for women..."
The FDA has just approved the use of EVISTA for protection
againstbreast cancer incidence!
For more information, go to www.evista.com!
"Smoking Could Cause Breast Cancer"
Here's another reason to kick the habit: A recent study found a significant
link between smoking and breast cancer.
According to this recent study, women who smoked more than a half-pack
of cigarettes a day increased their risk for breast cancer five times that of a nonsmoker. Unfortunately, smoking is not the only threat; exposure to
second-hand smoke for an hour a day over 12 months can triple a woman's risk
for the disease. This only accentuates the already startling fact that one in
eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer. One in seven women, if they
lived to be 90 years old, would be diagnosed with the disease.
If you smoke, the best thing you can do for your health is quit. If you don't
smoke, a new Illinois anti-smoking law may protect you. This law grants
each community the right to decide its own restrictions on smoking, with
many communities even banning smoking from restaurants and other
public places.
"Low Fat Diet May Cut Breast Cancer Recuurence 24%"
Breast cancer survivors on a low fat diet had their rate of recurrence reduced by 24% in what may be the first trial to show that a lifestyle change can protect cancer patients from relapse. In a study with a median of 5 years of follow-up, investigators determined the disease had recurred in 12.4% of postmenopausal women on a standard diet but only 9.85 of those on the low fat regimen.
The protective effect was stronger in women who had estrogen receptor negative tumors. Although patients with such tumors have an elevated risk of relapse, a low fat diet reduced their risk of recurrence by 42%. For women who had estrogen receptor positive cancers, the benefit was a 15% drop in recurrence risk.
In the study, a total of 975 women were assigned to the low fat arm of the study and reduced their fat intake to 15% of total calories and cut their average intake to 33.3 grams of fat daily. Another 1,462 women were placed in the control group and consumed an average of 51.3 grams of fat daily on their standard diets. The goal of the low fat diet was fat reduction, not weight loss. However, those women lost a statistically significant 4 pounds on average and that may have confounded the results of the treatment effect.
The weight loss in the test group was remarkable, especially given the fact that women with breast cancer tend to gain weight. Also, weight gain is common as individuals age. More research is needed into dietary intervention, to see if low fat diets and/or weight loss indeed lowers the risk of recurrence before the findings of this study are accepted.
"Moderate Excercise Improves Breast Cancer Outcomes"
Women who exercise moderately after a diagnosis of breast cancer experience a 20-50% reduction in their risk of breast cancer death or breast cancer recurrence, data from a recent study suggests. The survival advantage is particularly strong for women who have estrogen or progesterone receptor positive tumors. These women experienced a 50% decrease in the risk of breast cancer death.
The study took place at Harvard Medical School in Boston and suggests a possible hormonal mechanism for improved survival among women who are physically active. The maximum benefit occurred with moderate levels of exercise(walking 3-5 hours per week at a moderate pace) and the study researchers concluded that women with breast cancer should follow the exercise recommendations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: exercise at moderate intensity for 30 or more minutes per day, at least 5 days per week. Researchers found that both walking and vigorous exercise contributed to lowering risks in the women who participated in the study.
Exercise also improved 10 year breast cancer survival rates. The protective benefit was similar among overweight women and those of normal weight. Exercise also was particularly beneficial for women with more advanced cancer. Women with stage III cancer who engaged in at least 9 hours per week of exercise had a 63% decreased risk of breast cancer death.
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