Fruits, Vegetables and Cancer

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables doesn't help women with breast cancer and it doesn't necessarily reduce the risk of the disease returning.  The same can be said for prostate cancer and other forms of the disease.  But a recent study found, in colorectal cancer, that a diet that relied more on these foods plus whole grains fish and chicken did reduce the recurrence.  Here's our take on it.  We will definitely find that a diet like this helps in all cases, but it is difficult to get a clear association or correlation because diet has so many components and effects.  It also depends on the individual's genetics.  Nevertheless, it shows how we are looking more and more at diet and its role with cancer and other conditions.  That's the point we need to take home.  Diet plays a key role and a crucial role in how we evaluate cancer and other health issues. 

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Vitamin D and Breast Cancer Risk

Boosting levels of vitamin D and calcium in post-menopausal women did not help them reduce their breast cancer risk.  This is the first real test on whether vitamin D actually causes poor health as opposed to just being a marker for poor health, and it failed.  So far, we have a few good studies to show that people with low vitamin D levels are more prone to illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, but there is no evidence yet that giving people vitamin D supplements will reduce their disease risk.  In a study of more than 36,000 post-menopausal women, those taking vitamin D and calcium supplements for seven years did not have any lower risk for breast cancer than those taking a placebo.  However, the door isn't closed on vitamin D and breast cancer just yet.  It is possible women need to take the supplements when they're younger to get benefits, or perhaps they'll even need higher doses. 

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Detecting Breast Cancer Early

Breast cancer affects as many as one out of eight women and it can be detected early. The best way to detect breast cancer early is through regular breast self-examinations, examinations by your doctor, and also through the mammogram. These three tools are valuable. One of the things you want to do is look if breast cancer is in your family. If there’s a family history, clearly it’s something we need to worry about. You want to pay close attention and know the risk factors.

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Night Shift Work May Increase Risk for Breast Cancer

Very interesting news from Denmark where dozens of night shift workers are receiving cash settlements as a result of developing breast cancer.  There were 37 women involved and, according to reports, there were no other significant factors that might explain the development of breast cancer.  We know night shift work is believed to cause disturbed sleep, fatigue, and digestive problems and a study by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center revealed night shift work could increase the risk of breast cancer by up to 60%.  Other studies have not been so convincing, but it is a fascinating report.

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Breast Involution and Cancer Risk

It is called breast involution. This is a medical term for a natural event in a woman’s life as she ages. The milk producing glands, or lobules of the breast, start to shut down. As it turns out, involution is a critical change in a woman’s body that may have a great deal to do with breast cancer. Since it’s believed that breast cancer originates in the lobules, a reduction in their size and number reduces cancer risks. The Mayo Clinic looked at this and they found that much of this really applies and is quite true.

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Foods for Reducing Breast Cancer Risk

You are what you eat when it comes to breast cancer risks, and this can be very true. There are certain foods you can eat to help you in the battle with cancer. For instance, fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids can help. Now, you should try for two to three servings each week. Another source of protection is fruit. In fact, if fruits are bright and colorful, they’re probably better for you. Now, strawberries and raspberries are helpful and don’t forget your vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are all cancer fighters. It’s best to eat them slightly steamed and you should shoot for five servings a week. Again, this is very important information because what we’re starting to realize is, not only can healthy food help you with your heart, but it’s been shown to help fight in breast cancer, prostate cancer and a wide variety of problems.

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Breast Cancer Facts and Figures

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. Now, to give you an idea of the toll it takes, in 2000, there were 182,000 new cases and over 40,000 deaths. Breast cancer affects one out of eight women but there is good news. With improvements in early detection and treatment, there is a cure rate of over 50%. Physicians are often asked, ‘Who is at greater risk for breast cancer?’ The biggest risk factor is family history. Did someone in the family have it? Also, if you’ve had breast cancer before, there’s an increased risk of getting it in the other breast.

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Breast Cancer Can Affect Women at Any Age

Breast cancer affects one out of eight women.  If you are a woman, it is very important that you realize that breast cancer can attack at any time.  Breast self-examinations, getting the doctor to examine your breasts, and mammography; these are all important things.  In addition to that, you want to be as aggressive as you possibly can in treatment if it's necessary. 

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Should Breast Cancer Patients Have the Other Breast Removed Preventatively?

We know that women diagnosed with cancer in one breast are at greater risk for developing cancer in the other breast.  One of the questions many women ask is, "Should I have the other breast removed prophylactically to avoid developing cancer in the other breast?"  It's a difficult question and very hard to predict, but according to a study of 524 women with breast cancer, there appears to be several things that increase the risk: Having more than one tumor in the same breast when the initial cancer is diagnosed, and having breast cancer that begins in the milk-producing glands.  In these situations, we strongly recommend you talk with your physician and think it over. 

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Vitamin D, Calcium and Breast Cancer Risk

We know that vitamin D and calcium help fight osteoporosis in women. But now there is news from a major Harvard Medical School study that women who get a lot of vitamin D and calcium throughout their lives may cut the risk of breast cancer by almost third. The study looked at data for more than 10,500 premenopausal women and 21,000 postmenopausal women; they were 45 and older. These women were part of the Women’s Health Study. The study in humans supports prior studies in animals that found an association between calcium and vitamin D and breast cancer.

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The Estrogen Controversy

There is a controversy about estrogen and it’s definitely one that has been brewing for quite some time; whether or not estrogen actually can actually increase the risk of a whole wide variety of problems.  The thing about estrogen is it was commonly given to women at the time of menopause because it clearly helped with things such as hot flashes.  But studies have shown that there are problems associated with breast cancer, heart disease, and other issues.  Estrogen may not be the answer; in some women it is, but in some women it should be avoided.  You need to talk about estrogen with your doctor.   

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