Have you ever tried to consider what would happen if you suddenly discovered a lump in your breast and it was diagnosed as ‘cancerous’? You might be saying or thinking ‘God forbid;’ but did you know that it is said that one in every 25 Nigerian women is at risk of developing breast cancer?
Has it ever occurred to you to assess whether you are among the category of people at risk for breast cancer? What are you doing to ensure you do not fall victim to this disease?
Breast cancer is a malignant growth of cells beginning in the breast. These invasive cells begin in the mammary gland, then gradually begin to spread, sending secondaries all over the body, wreaking havoc on various organs and tissues. It is the most common cancer in females, and the number of women affected by this menace is gradually increasing every day.
Cancer is a disease in which the body is invaded by abnormal cells growing in an uncontrolled way. Generally speaking, what triggers these cells to lose control is unknown, but certain risk factors have been identified, and specifically associated with certain types of cancers.
These include some genes within the body, environmental toxins like exposure to asbestos, formaldehyde, hair dyes, benzene, heavy metals like cadmium, nickel, vinyl chloride and similar substance.
Certain foods have also been discovered as predisposing factors to developing cancer, including alcohol, artificial sweeteners, fluoridated water, acrylamide, smoked foods, canned foods and others.
We also have some hormones like diethylstilbestrol and estrogen found in oral contraceptive pills, transdermal patches, vaginal creams and rings, and hormonal replacement therapy for menopause, as well as infections by certain bacteria and viruses as trigger factors.
The role of radiation from cell phones, telephone mast and other devices cannot be ruled out, as well as ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Some general risk factors also exist, including increasing age, family history, overweight and obesity, lack of exercise.
For breast cancer, however, major contributing factors have been known to include prolonged exposure to the unopposed action of estrogen by progesterone. Oestrogen is essential for the normal functioning of a woman’s reproductive system and for normal breast development; however, lifetime exposure to estrogen is thought to increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer.
Oestrogen is a natural female hormone produced by the ovaries in women and the testes in men, though it is found in much higher concentrations in women’s bodies. It stimulates puberty, regulates the menstrual cycle and breast development, plays a crucial role in pregnancy, and is also necessary to maintain strong, healthy bones.
However, research has linked prolonged exposure to oestrogen as a predisposing factor for breast, endometrial and cervical cancer. As far back as over 100 years ago, researchers found that removing the ovaries of women with breast cancer improved their chances of survival. Recent studies have shown that women who had their ovaries removed early in life have a very low incidence of breast cancer. Similarly, rats and mice whose ovaries have been removed develop few — if any — breast tumours. Men who do not have ovaries and have low blood levels of oestrogen have low breast cancer rates, compared to women.
Various factors can affect the levels of oestrogen within a woman’s body. These include:
Diet: Diets that are very low in fat and high in fibre may decrease the levels of oestrogen in the body. Certain dietary factors may increase breast cancer risk directly by increasing levels of oestrogen in the blood, and indirectly by causing overweight and obesity.
The role of dietary phytoestrogens also cannot be underemphasised. Phytoestrogens are plant oestrogens found in foods like soybeans, tofu, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and certain spices and herbs. A diet rich in phytoestrogens has been proposed as a way to decrease breast cancer risk because the weaker phtyoestrogens will prevent the stronger human oestrogens from binding to the oestrogen receptor and causing cell division, which is one of the ways cancers develop.
Obesity: This has been shown to have a strong link to the development of breast cancer because there is peripheral conversion of the fat cells to oestrogen, therefore making obese and overweight women to be more exposed to oestrogen within the body. A woman’s body fat is the major source of oestrogen after menopause, hence women with less body fat are at lesser risk.
Exercise: Studies have shown that women who exercise regularly have a lower risk of breast cancer. Some evidence suggests that circulating levels of oestrogen are lower in women who exercise regularly. Body fat is often reduced in women who exercise and body oestrogen levels may also be reduced. Exercise may extend the length of a woman’s menstrual cycles. Longer menstrual cycles correspond with fewer cycles over a lifetime, and fewer menstrual cycles can result in less lifetime exposure to oestrogen.
Reproductive factors: Women who have not given birth to children or had their first child over the age of 30 are said to be more at risk for breast cancer; while breastfeeding is said to offer some degree of protection against breast cancer. Also, women who had an early menarche, as well as women with late onset of menopause, are thought to be more susceptible to this disease due to prolonged exposure to oestrogen within the body.
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