Breast cancer is one of the most leading causes of cancer related deaths in American women. About 200,000 women every year are diagnosed with breast cancer. So, to avoid this dreadful condition, it is essential to beware of factors associated with breast cancer.
1. Moderate drinking is one of the major factors associated with breast cancer risk
Drinking just a glass of wine a day increases the risk of breast cancer and also various other diseases. A research has conducted on women who drank only one or two units of alcohol a week and women who regularly drink one unit.
When the results were compared, women who regularly drink alcohol were found to be at a risk of getting seven types of cancers such as breast, mouth, liver, rectum, pharynx, oesophagus, and larynx cancer.
Genes that are involved in metabolizing alcohol are associated with increased breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.
2. Birth control pills are another factor associated with breast cancer
Hormonal factors have a great role in the development of breast cancer. Amount and the duration of estrogen exposure seem to be a key issue.
If your ovaries are removed due to any reason, estrogen levels drop greatly and also the risk of breast cancer drops significantly. So, if you take hormone pills, mainly pills containing estrogen, then you are at higher risk.
Studies showed that women who used birth control pills for ten years are at a risk of 1.38% higher when compared to women who did not use the pills. It doesn’t mean that you should not use the pills. Pills have also various benefits such as they reduce the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers.
But, there is concern for women who begin their menstrual cycle before 11 years of age, women who have gone through precocious puberty and women who have their regular periods much faster. Long-term use of contraceptive pills in these groups can be affected with harmful side effects.
Breast cancer development is multi factored. It is mainly caused due to family history and environmental factors. At present, there are two genes, one is BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 associated with the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
3. HRT is yet another of the factors associated with breast cancer risk
HRT is a drug therapy used to help women to cope with unpleasant effects of menopause. During menopause, decreased production of estrogen leads to various complications that adversely affect your life quality. These changes include: hot flashes, greater risk of osteoporosis, vaginal and urinary symptoms, complications with memory and low self esteem.
A postmenopausal woman on HRT using both estrogen and progesterone is at higher risk of breast cancer, blood clots, heart disease, urinary incontinence and stroke.
The two most common HRT drugs prescribed in the US are ‘prempro’ (Estrogen and progesterone) and ‘premarin’ (Estrogen only). But, there is not exactly clear evidence on how stopping HRT affects your breast cancer. This mainly depends on the type of treatment and the drugs used.