Essential Takeaways:
You can reduce your risk of breast cancer by controlling lifestyle and reproductive factors.- Excess body weight, especially after menopause, significantly increases breast cancer risk.
- Alcohol consumption and insufficient physical activity are modifiable contributors.
- Some hormone therapies and reproductive decisions carry risk implications.
- Screening and regular gynecologic care can help you stay informed and swiftly respond to changes.
Maintaining good breast health is not only about regular exams and awareness but also involves making choices that lower your risk. While you can’t change factors such as your age or genetic background, there are several influences on breast cancer risk that you can control. In fact, many professionals estimate that 25 to 30% of breast cancers may be linked to environmental and lifestyle factors that can be altered.
Find out the most common controllable risks of breast cancer, backed by current data, and how to mitigate these potential hazards.
Who Is Most at Risk?
Although all women can develop breast cancer, your risk rises sharply as you get older. Most breast cancers are seen in women who are 50 years old or older. This increase is primarily due to the body’s natural aging process, as over time, hormone exposure and cellular changes can accumulate, increasing the likelihood of abnormal cell growth.
Women approaching or post-menopause are at the highest risk, particularly if other factors such as weight gain, limited physical activity, or hormone therapy are also present. However, taking proactive steps to manage these risks is within your control, especially as you age.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
After menopause, weight plays an even stronger role in breast cancer risk. If your body mass index (BMI) rises, your risk increases because adipose tissue contributes to estrogen production.
In one study, women with BMIs over 31.1 (who had never used hormone replacement) were about 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than those whose BMI was under 22.6.
You can help reduce your breast cancer risk by maintaining a balanced diet, limiting processed foods and sugars, prioritizing whole foods, and avoiding dramatic weight gain over time.
Staying Proactive With Regular Activity
Regular exercise is believed to help reduce breast cancer risk. A 2016 meta-analysis consisting of 38 cohort studies found that physically active females had a 12 to 21% lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who were not as physically active.
A consistent fitness routine, such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or strength training, can help keep hormones in balance and reduce fat tissue, which can increase this estrogen-driven risk.
Limit Alcohol Intake
Alcohol is one of the most straightforward modifiable factors, as any drinking increases breast cancer risk, particularly hormone receptor-positive types. An analysis of 20 studies found that consuming alcohol increases the risk of estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer by 28% and estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer by up to 35%.
To lower your risk, limit your alcohol consumption, ideally to no more than one drink a day. Over time, cutting back can shift your baseline risk downward and improve your overall health and well-being.
Consider Reproductive Choices and Hormone Exposure
You may not think of reproductive history as something “you can control,” but some decisions do have implications:
- Having children at younger ages and spacing pregnancies matters. A late first childbirth (age 30+) or never having a full-term pregnancy are associated with a somewhat higher risk.
- Breastfeeding has a protective effect, especially if continued for a year or more.
- Some formulations of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), primarily when used long-term, are linked with increased risk.
Pay Attention to Breast Density and Screenings
Breast density is an intrinsic factor you can’t really change, but knowing about it gives you power. Women whose breasts have more than 75% density may be four to six times more likely to develop breast cancer than those with lower density.
As dense tissue can mask tumors on mammograms, your provider may recommend additional imaging or closer follow-up. Make sure you stay on top of screenings. Early detection dramatically improves outcomes.
Other Lifestyle Considerations
- Smoking: While more clearly tied to other cancers, smoking may still contribute modestly to breast cancer risk through systemic damage and hormonal effects.
- Radiation Exposure: If you had therapeutic radiation to the chest earlier in life, that history raises risk. While you cannot undo past exposure, you should alert your physician, as more frequent screenings may be necessary.
- Night Shift Work/Light at Night: Some studies suggest circadian disruption may influence breast cancer risk.
Maintaining Breast Health by Reducing Risks
You can’t erase your family history or refine your genes, but you can reduce many common breast cancer risks. Paying closer attention to your weight, engaging in regular exercise, limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding hormone exposure when possible, and undergoing regular screenings can all make a difference in your breast and overall health.
For friendly and compassionate care and skilled women’s services, schedule your next appointment with Raleigh Gynecology & Wellness in Raleigh, NC.