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Environmental and Lifestyle Risks

Though still an area of active research, many lifestyle and environmental risk factors for breast cancer have been identified. Fortunately, almost all of them are controllable by an individual seeking to optimize his or her health. Yes, men get breast cancer, too, at about 1/133 the rate of women.

Women who have had no children prior to age 30 are at a slightly higher risk. The cause of the increase is likely to be twofold: the number of menstrual periods experienced and the related factor of the amount of estrogen in the body. Hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, play a role in cell growth and cancer is a condition in which cells grow in abnormal shapes and numbers.

Multiple pregnancies before age 30 lowers the risk of breast cancer. But pregnancy itself carries some risk too, even in a modern medical setting. Offsetting the risk of breast cancer by this method should therefore be low on anyone's list. But for those who intend to bear children anyway, it's comforting to know about this not inconsequential side benefit.

Incidentally, the jury is still out on the relative cancer risk of taking oral contraceptives. Women who have ceased using birth control for more than ten years show no increased risk. Since most women who contract the condition don't get breast cancer until their 50s or later, it's difficult to isolate the contribution.

Diet is a more direct contributor, but here again research is ongoing and the final answer is far from clear. What is known, however, is that a healthy diet in general is a factor. Obesity almost certainly raises the risk of breast cancer since fat cells store estrogen. They also produce a small amount on their own, though most is generated by the ovaries.

But the exact contribution of diet isn't known. It was popular for a while to assert that a high fiber diet was almost a preventative. The research doesn't support that notion, but a high fiber diet is undoubtedly healthy for a number of reasons. Even if diet doesn't prevent the onset of breast cancer, general good health is extremely helpful when it comes to any kind of treatment and diet is a major part of that effort.

Along with diet, age and body type-appropriate exercise is a major contributor to good overall health. An hour a day of moderate activity is a major factor in keeping muscles toned and the body in overall good shape. Exactly how much this helps reduce the risk of breast cancer is unknown, but one study correlated a 1-2 hour brisk walk per week with an 18% lower risk.

Surprisingly, there are several factors commonly suspected to increase breast cancer risk that are not supported by contemporary research findings, according to the American Cancer society. Smoking is one of them. No link has been found between cigarette smoking and breast cancer. Lung cancer, of course, is another story. Environmental pollutants in general have not been correlated with breast cancer.

But since these are clearly not healthy lifestyle choices, the goal of optimizing overall well-being would weigh against them.

Alcohol in moderation is healthy. But heavy use of alcohol is definitely correlated with increased risk of breast cancer. The risk increases by about 10% for every daily drink of hard alcohol consumed. And since it also damages the liver and contributes to overall poor health, heavy drinking is an unwise choice.

Maintain a good attitude and a good health program and your odds of breast cancer will be as low as you can make them.