1921 Northpointe Drive
Durham, NC 27705
919-471-8327
6224 Fayetteville Road
Durham, NC 27713
919-484-7600
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Breast Health
Proper diet and nutrition, exercise, assessment of risk factors and screening with mammograms and self-exams are all important for breast health. Research shows that a woman who is over 40, or whose mother or sister has had breast cancer, may be at greater risk, but this does not mean the woman will develop breast cancer. The purpose of knowing your risk factors is to help devise a breast health program suited to each woman’s individual needs.
A growing body of evidence suggests that breast cancer in many cases is preventable. For example, studies suggesting that eating a low-fat diet, and a high ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega 6 fatty acids in a diet may help reduce the risk of breast cancer. In addition, when a woman is receiving hormone therapy, the choice of hormone is critical. Evidence continues to emerge about the importance of adequate vitamin D levels to protect against many diseases, including breast cancer. Many knowledgeable healthcare practitioners recommend supplements to support breast health.
Unequal Risks for Breast Cancer Associated with Different Forms of Hormone Therapies
Many forms of hormone therapy (HT) are available for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. To determine whether some are more harmful than others regarding breast cancer risk, data was reviewed from a study of 80,377 postmenopausal women. The findings suggest that it could be preferable to use progesterone instead of a synthetic progestin as part of HT. A study of the influence of topically administered estradiol and progesterone on human breast tissue concluded that progesterone administration decreases estrogen-induced breast cell proliferation by 400%.
Protective Effect of Vitamin D against Breast Cancer
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with elevated risk of about 20 types of cancer, according to Dr. John Cannell, vitamin D expert and director of the Vitamin D Council. Dr. Cannell suggests that adults need around 5000 IU per day of vitamin D3 to maintain healthy body functions and even higher doses may be needed to fight diseases.
Low levels of Vitamin D are associated with elevated breast cancer risk, and women who have an aggressive form of breast cancer are eight times more likely to be diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency. African-American women are at a higher risk because their skin color reduces the efficiency of the absorption of UV rays, which are needed for the body to produce vitamin D.
In 2004, a group at the University Hospital in Quebec confirmed that vitamin D, especially when taken with calcium, significantly reduced abnormal mammograms. In fact they found women with the highest vitamin D intake had only one fourth as many abnormal densities on their mammogram as did women with the lowest intake.
Researchers in Norway discovered that women who were diagnosed with breast cancer during the summer and fall, the season where vitamin D levels are the highest, had the best prognosis. The researchers concluded that high vitamin D levels during the course of cancer treatment may improve the prognosis of women with breast cancer, plus, both colon cancer and prostate cancer showed similar improvements.
Note: If you have breast cancer, please remember that vitamin D is not a cure-all and should never be used as the main treatment for your cancer. Your oncologist will prescribe treatment that has proven efficacy and you should carefully follow your oncologist’s advice as the mainstay of treatment. At the same time, you should know that evidence suggests that the proper amount of vitamin D may help you in your fight against breast cancer.
Caution- Cosmetics May Contain Estrogens
Women who have had breast cancer are often warned to avoid estrogen preparations. Concern about the possible presence of estrogenically active substances in commercially available “youth enhancing” and “rejuvenating” creams, despite the absence of any mention in the ingredient list, led California physicians who treat women with breast cancer to obtain 16 random samples and have them analyzed at an independent lab. Five samples contained estrogens. Cosmetic laws are based on an outdated and untrue concept that an intact skin is a barrier to topically applied hormones. Manufacturers of cosmetics (including moisturizers) are trusted to provide accurate ingredient labels, and government agencies do not test these products unless a problem is reported. Use of cosmetics containing estrogenically active substances could pose a serious risk to women with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer and also could disrupt hormone balance in otherwise healthy women.
References:
Journal of Clinical Oncology. 27(26); September 10, 2009:e103-e104
Fertil Steril. 1995;63(4): 785-791.
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Jan;107(1):103-11
Postgraduate Medicine. 2009 Jan; 121(1):1-13
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/cancerBreast.shtml
Braz J Med Biol Res. 2002 Jan;35(1):1–9
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2004 Sep;13(9):1466–72.
Cancer Causes Control 2004 Mar; 15(2):149-58.