Some people think that I bang on about breast cancer and yes I do and I am proud of it, because I have been through it and I have always said since then that I wanted to make people Breast Aware, because knowing the risks can help to prevent it. And if I can stop just 1 person getting breast cancer then my aim has worked.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United Kingdom.
Every year 55,900 people are diagnosed with breast cancer and that is over 153 people a day.
Prevent Breast Cancer want to stop the problem before it starts.
Predict, Prevent, Protect.
What are the causes of Breast Cancer?
Unlike other cancers there is not just one single thing that causes breast cancer. It is usually a combination of things that work together to make it happen.
It is difficult to say why one person develops breast cancer and another doesn't.
There are risk factors that affect the likelihood. Some you can do nothing about, but there are some you can change.
Age - the condition is most common in women over 50 who have been through the menopause. But that does not mean that it won't happen in women or men (yes men can get breast cancer) that are younger.
Family history - if you have had family members with breast or ovarian cancer you may have a higher risk. Most cases of breast cancer do not run in families but genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2 can increase your risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer and it is possible for these genes to be passed on from a parent to their child.
Previous breast cancer or lump - if you have previously had breast cancer or a lump you have a higher risk of developing it again in either breast.
Dense breast tissue - women with dense breast tissue have a higher risk of developing breast cancer as there are more cells that can become cancerous.
Hormones and hormone medicine - exposure to oestrogen can sometimes stimulate breast cancer cells and cause them to grow. The ovaries where eggs are stored produce oestrogen when you start puberty so if you start your periods at a young age or experience menopause later you will have been exposed to oestrogen over a longer period of time.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with an increased risk. There is no increased risk if you take for less than 1 year but if you take for longer than a year you have a higher risk compared to women who don't take it.
Contraceptive pill - research shows that women who have taken the pill have a slightly increased risk of devloping breast cancer.
Lifestyle factors:-
- being overweight or obese can increase your risk and this is thought to be linked to the amount of oestrogen as your body produces more after menopause.
- alcohol increases the risk of getting breast cancer. People who drink even small amounts on a regular basis have a greater risk than people who are tee total. This does not mean don't drink but stick to the guidelines and drink in moderation.
- Radiation medical procedures such as X-rays and CT scans may slightly increase your risk . This does not mean that you should refuse them but if you are concerned you should speak with your healthcare team, there are usually other factors involved.
- you can reduce your risk of breast cancer by being physically active for around 20 minutes a day
- smoking there is growing evidence that smoking slightly increases the risk. The younger a woman starts smoking the higher the risk. The increased risk remains for at least 20 years after stopping.
Everyone can be at risk of breast cancer and even the number of men being diagnosed is on the increase and the simplest way of reducing your risk is to check on a regular basis. If you are not sure how to check correctly you can go to https://preventbreastcancer.org.uk where the is information on how and what to check for. Prevent website also has a shop to buy products, a section on the fundraising events and how you can get involved and loads more videos and information on what they do.
Anyone who orders from me at FM or Oriflame if I send from home I always put a check card in their parcel as it shows all the signs to look for so if you want a fragrance, cosmetics, skincare and in the UK I will always put some in or you can look up Lorraine change and check campaign as they have ones that you can stick up maybe at work or nursery etc.
There are so many ways to get the info you need to help reduce your risk, but if anyone has any questions I am happy to answer them. If a medical question my answer would be to speak to your GP if worried because they are more qualified than me. Read my story on my 1st blog about my diagnosis and treatment through breast cancer :)
