Practical Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer: Day 9 - If High Risk: Consider Risk-Reducing Medications

It's the final day in our nine day series highlighting key steps and practical tips that can help women lower their risk of breast cancer. Previous days.

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If High Risk: Consider Risk-Reducing Medications

Although not commonly thought of as a “healthy behavior,” taking prescription risk-reducing medications – such as, tamoxifen, raloxifene, and possibly exemestane – can significantly lower the risk of breast cancer in women at high risk of the disease. They can also have important side effects, so they aren’t right for everyone.

“High risk” is specifically defined as a woman with a five-year risk of breast cancer of 1.67 percent or higher, typically calculated by the National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool. If you think you’re at high risk, either after estimating your risk or for some other reason, it’s important to talk to a doctor. Together, you can decide if risk-reducing medication or other steps to lower or manage your risk may be right for you.

Tips and Tricks – Tamoxifen and Raloxifine

Talk to a doctor about your risk and your options. Many women who feel they’re at high risk are likely not. And some who feel they aren’t, likely are. So it’s important to talk to a doctor or other qualified health professional about your risk of breast cancer. If you are at high risk, together you can talk about your options for managing that risk and decide which option is likely best for you.

Review the possible benefits and risks of risk-reducing medication. For many high-risk women, tamoxifen, raloxifene, and possibly exemestane are good choices for managing their risk. Though each does have potential side effects, these can be dramatically offset by their ability to cut the risk of breast cancer in half. Talk to a doctor about how these might balance out for you. A huge percentage of women in the United States who stand to benefit greatly from risk-reducing medications choose not to take them – and not always for accurate reasons (more).

Next Steps – Tamoxifen and Raloxifene

American Cancer Society
http://goo.gl/dyHRbS

National Cancer Institute
http://www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool

Your Disease Risk
http://yourdiseaserisk.wustl.edu

Excerpted from TOGETHER - Every Woman's Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer

Photo: Walking on the beach by Hernan Pinera  (CC License, CC BY-SA 2.0)(adapt: black & white)

Practical Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer: Day 8 - Find Out Your Family History

It's day eight in our nine day series highlighting key steps and practical tips that can help women lower their risk of breast cancer. Previous days.

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Day 8 - Find Out Your Family History

Women with a strong family history of breast cancer can take special steps to protect themselves, so it’s important for women to know their family history of breast and other cancers. You may be at high risk of breast cancer if you have a mother or sister who developed breast or ovarian cancer (especially at an early age) or if you have multiple family members (including males) who developed breast, ovarian and/or prostate cancer. A doctor or genetic counselor can help you understand your family history of the disease.  A doctor is also the best source of information on ways to lower or manage your breast cancer risk.

Tips and Tricks – Family History

Learn your family history. Most women will have a general idea of their family history of breast cancer, but it’s a good idea to spend a little time to get a more detailed idea of your cancer history, especially if it’s pretty clear that breast or other cancers run in your family.  A doctor or genetic counselor can help.

Keep things in perspective. Most women with a family history of breast cancer are not at high risk of the disease. In most instances, family history behaves on par with many other breast cancer risk factors. Of course, women with a very strong family history (multiple family members with cancer or inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations) have a very strong risk of breast cancer. But even these situations don’t guarantee a woman will develop the disease.

Next Steps – Family History

Looking for more in-depth information on family history? Here are some good sources:

US Surgeon General
http://goo.gl/VTT2yU

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://goo.gl/c2iNuO

Photo: Family Walk by Thomas Leth-Olsen (CC License, CC BY 2.0)

Practical Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer: Day 7 - Avoid Postmenopausal Hormones

It's day seven in our nine day series highlighting key steps and practical tips that can help women lower their risk of breast cancer. Previous days.

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Day 7 - Avoid Postmenopausal Hormones

The issue still comes up in the news, and study results still get parsed and discussed, but in the end, the basic conclusion about postmenopausal hormones and breast cancer remains the same: While postmenopausal hormones can effectively treat moderate to severe symptoms of menopause, when it comes to breast cancer, it’s best to avoid them long term.

If women choose to take postmenopausal hormones to relieve menopausal symptoms (like night sweats, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness), it should be for the shortest period of time possible – not more than 1 – 3 years. And they shouldn’t be taken long term with the intent of lowering the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease or osteoporosis.

The best person to talk to about the risks and benefits of postmenopausal hormones is your doctor.

Tips and Tricks – Postmenopausal hormones

Try to deal with menopausal symptoms without postmenopausal hormones. Menopausal symptoms are no fun – to put it mildly. And finding relief from them is key. It’s best, though, to look past postmenopausal hormones and try to find relief in other ways. Physical activity, for example, can help with mood swings, troubled sleep, and forgetfulness. Identifying triggers (and then avoiding them) can help deal with hot flashes, as can some non-hormonal medications. Over-the-counter lubricants can help with vaginal dryness. At a certain point, symptoms may be so bad that it makes sense to consider postmenopausal hormones. Talk to your doctor about the best approach.

Next Steps – Postmenopausal hormones

Looking for more in-depth information on postmenopausal hormones? Here is a good source:

WomensHealth.gov
http://goo.gl/2YL5KE

Excerpted from TOGETHER - Every Woman's Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer

Photo: Flickr/giuseppimilo (CC license)

Practical Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer: Day 6 - Avoid Birth Control Pills - Particularly After Age 35 or If You Smoke

It's day six in our nine day series highlighting key steps and practical tips that can help women lower their risk of breast cancer. Previous days.

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Day 6 - Avoid Birth Control Pills - Particularly After Age 35 or If You Smoke


There’s no denying that birth control pills have been a fantastic innovation – empowering women by putting them in charge of their own reproductive planning. But, like any medication, no matter how great the benefits, there are some risks that go along with them. For standard birth control pills, the most notable side effects are an increased risk of breast cancer, as well as of stroke and heart attack, particularly if a woman smokes and is over age 35. The good news is that the increase in breast cancer risk is temporary; about 10 years after stopping, risk drops to near that of a woman who has never taken the pill.

Because most women who take birth control pills are young and healthy, the risks linked to their use are usually outweighed in most women’s minds by the benefits – which in addition to preventing unwanted pregnancy also include a lower risk of ovarian, uterine, and colon cancer.

For a small group of women, though, who may be at high risk of breast cancer or simply concerned about breast cancer, avoiding birth control pills is one option to lower risk. The best source of information about the risks and benefits of birth control pills is a health care provider.

Tips and Tricks – Birth Control Pills

Don’t worry too much. For most women, the risks of birth control pills are outweighed by their benefits. Talk to a health care provider to find out how birth control pills may impact your health.

Next Steps – Birth Control Pills

Looking for more in-depth information on birth control pills? Here are some good sources:

National Cancer Institute
http://goo.gl/elLld2

Susan G. Komen
http://goo.gl/EoSMvM
http://goo.gl/Tkh4TW

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
http://www.acog.org/For_Patients

Planned Parenthood
http://www.plannedparenthood.org

Excerpted from TOGETHER - Every Woman's Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer

Photo: Flickr/tuncay (CC license)

Practical Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer: Day 5 - Breastfeed, If Possible

It's day five in our nine day series highlighting key steps and practical tips that can help women lower their risk of breast cancer. Previous days.

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Day 5 - Breastfeed, If Possible

Breastfeeding for a total of one year or more (combined for all children) lowers the risk of breast cancer. It also has great health benefits for the child. Unfortunately, as natural a thing as breastfeeding is, it doesn’t always naturally fit into today’s modern society. While things are certainly better than they were -- with more understanding workplaces and day care providers -- moms still often need to work hard to make it work.

Tips and Tricks – Breastfeeding

Start early and ask for help. Breastfeeding has the best chance of success when it’s started early, and this usually means beginning an hour or less after the baby is born. Many hospitals help mothers initiate breastfeeding, but it’s also best to let the delivery nurses know your desire to breastfeed your baby. If you have questions, ask. If you have problems, ask. Many hospitals offer great support for new moms who want to breastfeed – not only in the hours after birth, but the days, weeks, and months after as well.

Don’t be shy. Even though there are still a few vocal opponents to breastfeeding in public, put them at the back your mind, and charge forward and breastfeed when and where you need to. Job interviews and work meetings may not be the best venues to do so, but most other places are just fine.

Coordinate with your workplace and day care provider. Going back to work is just a fact of life for most new moms, and balancing work and breastfeeding can be a real challenge. A large percentage of new moms are interested in breastfeeding their children, and employers and day cares have taken note, offering much better resources than they used to. If you’re unsure about the resources available to you, ask. The human resources office is a good place to start.

Next Steps – Breastfeeding

Looking for more in-depth information on breastfeeding? Here are some good sources:

WomensHealth.gov
http://goo.gl/aVElAE

La Leche League
http://www.llli.org

United States Department of Labor
http://goo.gl/TRSEOD

National Conference of State Legislatures
http://goo.gl/y6zNMY

Excerpted from TOGETHER - Every Woman's Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer

Top photo: Flickr/samiksha (CC license)

Practical Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer: Day 4 - Don’t Smoke, and Avoid Other People’s Smoke, Too

It's day four in our nine day series highlighting key steps and practical tips that can help women lower their risk of breast cancer. Previous days.   

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Day 4 - Don’t Smoke, and Avoid Other People’s Smoke, Too

This really goes without saying: Don’t smoke, and avoid other people’s smoke, too. 

Smokers and non-smokers alike know how bad smoking (and secondhand smoke) is to their health. On top of lowering quality of life and increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and at least 15 cancers – including breast cancer – it also causes smelly breath, bad teeth, and wrinkles. Now that’s motivation to stay smoke-free or quickly get smoke-free. 

Though electronic cigarettes can seem like safe alternatives to standard cigarettes, so much is unknown about their risks and benefits that it’s important to avoid them as well. For help quitting smoking, there are many FDA-approved nicotine-replacement options that have been shown to be safe and to double chances of success.

Tips and Tricks – Smoking

It’s hard to quit, so keep trying. If there’s one thing we all know about quitting smoking, it’s that it’s hard. It takes most people six or seven tries before they quit for good. So, if at first you don’t succeed, try try again. Don’t give up. Over a thousand Americans successfully quit smoking every day.

Talk to a health-care provider. Seeing a doctor or other health care professional may not be the first thing you think of when thinking about ways to quit smoking, but they can be fabulous sources of information and cessation aids that can help you kick the habit. Studies show that seeing a doctor for help quitting can double your chances of success.

Visit smokefree.gov. Whether you are just thinking about quitting, want help quitting, or are looking for information about quitting for a friend of family member, the federal website smokefree.gov is the place for you. They also host the innovative text message cessation program, smokefreetxt, and sites focused on specific groups: smokefreeVET. smokefreewomen, smokefreeteen, and the Spanish-language smokefreeespanol.

Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW. Similar to the federal smokefree.gov, 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) will connect you to cessation information and resources in your state.

Talk to your kids about smoking. If you have kids – or grandkids or nieces and nephews – it’s important to with talk them from a young age about the dangers of tobacco and the need to stay away from cigarettes and other tobacco products.

Next Steps – Smoking

Looking for more in-depth information on smoking? Here are some good sources:

Smokefree.gov
http://smokefree.gov

American Cancer Society
http://goo.gl/glMlZx

The Truth Campaign
http://thetruth.com

Excerpted from TOGETHER - Every Woman's Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer

Photo: Flickr/machechy (CC license)

Practical Steps to Prevent Breast Cancer: Day 3 - Avoid Too Much Alcohol

It's day three in our nine day series highlighting key steps and practical tips that can help women lower their risk of breast cancer. Previous days.

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Day 3 - Avoid Too Much Alcohol

Alcohol can be good for the heart, but when it comes to cancer, there is, unfortunately, nothing really good about it. Even modest amounts increase the risk of breast cancer. In general, if you drink moderately (no more than one drink a day for women) the overall health benefits of drinking outweigh the risks. But if you’re particularly concerned about breast cancer, you may want to choose not to drink.

Tips and Tricks - Alcohol

Choose non-alcoholic beverages at meals and parties. If you’re trying to cut back on alcohol, meals and parties can be tough occasions since so many of them center around alcohol. Yet, more than ever, there are good non-alcohol choices. And if you want to be sure to have a non-alcoholic choice that you like, don’t be afraid to bring it along with you.

Avoid occasions centered around alcohol. There’s no reason to avoid alcohol completely, but if you’re trying to cut back to a healthier level and having trouble keeping to the new program, it can be good to avoid occasions or establishments centered around alcohol. Unfortunately, this can mean your favorite watering hole or restaurant, but just keep in mind your bigger goal and maybe you’ll miss it a bit less.

Talk to a health care professional if you feel you have a problem with alcohol. Alcoholism and problem drinking are major problems in the United States. By some estimates, close to 20 percent of the population have abused alcohol at some point in their lives 46. If you feel you have a problem with alcohol – or want to cut back drinking but can’t – talk to a health care provider. They can help.

Discuss the risk and dangers of alcohol use with your children. It’s almost never too early to begin an age-appropriate healthy dialogue with your kids and grandkids about drugs and alcohol use. A health care professional or school counselor can help. For breast cancer, this discussion can be particularly important since alcohol intake in youth and young adulthood can have an important influence on breast cancer risk later in life.

Next Steps – Alcohol

Looking for more in-depth information on alcohol? Here are some good sources:

Centers for Disease Control
http://goo.gl/zvT5sP
http://goo.gl/5uOWHv

National Library of Medicine
http://goo.gl/slwCks

Excerpted from TOGETHER - Every Woman's Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer

Photo: Flickr/lino_alvarez (CC license)