Preventing breast cancer: is it possible to prevent the disease?

Prevention of breast cancer is conducted in all civilized countries, because - according to the World Health Organization - among cancer diseases affecting women from 25 to 70 years, breast cancer is in first place (25% of all cancers).

According to the information of the American Cancer Society, for 100 thousand of the female population of Belgium breast cancer is diagnosed in 111 women, in the USA - in 110, in Denmark - at 105, in France - at 104, in Great Britain - at 95, in Germany and Italy - 91, Australia - 86, Switzerland - 83. In Hungary, this figure is 76.4, and in Poland - 66.3. In Ukraine, of 100,000 women, breast cancer is detected in 62. But the survival rate of Ukrainian women with this diagnosis is much lower than in Europe or the United States. The main reason is the late application for medical help ...

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Preventing breast cancer: consider the risk factors

Sufficiently complete and absolutely reliable data on the causes of breast cancer to date, science has not. Although scientists have been able to detect its connection with the mutation of genes, which is provoked by both external factors and hormonal (as all processes in the female mammary glands occur on hormonal soil).

It is well established that approximately 20-25% of cases of this disease belong to the so-called "family breast cancer", which is hereditary and arises from mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.

So if the genus of a woman had breast or ovarian cancer (or breast cancer in men), the risk of having a malignant breast tumor reaches 87% (and 50% of the likelihood of developing ovarian cancer). Not wanting to share the fate of her mother, Marcelin Bertrand (56, who died of ovarian and breast cancer) and her maternal grandmother Lois June Bertrand (who also died of ovarian cancer at age 45), Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie, oncogenetic analysis, decided on the most radical form of breast cancer prevention - surgical removal of both mammary glands (contralateral mastectomy).

Not the least role among the risk factors for breast cancer is played by age. Studies of the British Cancer Institute UK show that almost half (47%) of breast cancers are diagnosed in women in the age group of 50-69 years, and the incidence rate is rising rapidly after 35-40 years. But up to 30 years with such a diagnosis, women, as a rule, do not face.

In addition, the probability of developing this pathology in women with early menarche (up to 11 years) and early menopause (up to 45 years) is increased; not giving birth or giving birth to the first time after 30 years; who did not breastfeed or who completed breastfeeding of the baby too early (up to 9-12 months); as well as in women who have repeatedly made abortions.

The real threat of development of oncological neoplasia with increased production of estrogen, under the influence of which the cells of breast tissue undergo cyclic changes. For example, Israeli researchers have established that luminal subtypes of breast tumors occur exclusively against the background of estrogen imbalance. And some doctors even say that the long-term use of hormonal contraceptives play an important role in this.

The risk factors for breast cancer include the presence of a woman such diseases as nodal forms of fibrotic mastopathy, phyloid (leaf-shaped) fibroadenoma and intraprostatic papilloma, since these tumors can turn from benign to malignant.

One should also take into account the fact that in 27% of the cases oncological diagnosis was given to women suffering from obesity. In this regard, at the British Cancer Institute all women are recommended to normalize body weight, which at least in 5% of cases will help to avoid a terrible diagnosis.

Prevention of breast cancer: what should I do?

According to the forecast of the specialists of the Institute of Oncology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, the diagnosis of breast cancer by the end of 2020 can become a reality for almost 17% of our women.

There are no guarantees that it will be possible to avoid the disease, but you can try to identify it at an early stage. Doctors strongly recommend not to neglect such a simple way of preventing breast cancer as a regular self-examination of the breast - monthly, within the first week after the completion of the next monthly.

The most suitable place is in the bathroom. Before taking a shower, you need to stand upright, raise your left arm up (you can hold your head), and palm your right hand gently probing your left breast - from the axilla to the midline of the chest. The upper outer and inner quadrants of the mammary gland are especially closely examined. With the right gland, similar actions are performed. Also, it is necessary to feel the areas of the armpits with light movements (there are lymph nodes) and near the clavicles.

During such an examination, changes in the usual size and shape of the gland can be detected; the presence of compaction in the gland tissues; changes in the skin of a different nature (redness, peeling) on the entire breast or in separate areas; discharge from the nipple; swelling of the lymph nodes in the axillary region.

If you have seen or felt at least one of the above - immediately to a mammologo doctor! In addition, for the prevention of breast cancer, women under 35-40 years of age need to undergo ultrasound once a year, and after 40-45 years - an annual mammogram.

Free radicals are known to be able to initiate the degeneration of healthy cells, so the body needs antioxidants to prevent breast cancer. Antioxidants (antioxidants) are found in green tea, seafood, cabbage (all kinds), citrus fruits, onions, tomatoes, blueberries, peaches, plums, nuts. It makes sense to abandon animal fats, which will help reduce the concentration in the blood of estradiol and which is especially useful for the prevention of breast cancer in women before and after menopause.

Replacing animal fats should be unsaturated fats of vegetable oils (sunflower, olive, corn). A significant part of the meat in the diet is desirable to replace legumes that contain isoflavonoids and due to this have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.

Prevention of recurrence of breast cancer

Preventing recurrence of breast cancer is required for those for whom this diagnosis is already familiar. Or women with non-invasive tubular, medullary or lobular carcinomas.

In this case, the prevention principle is one - constant monitoring of the attending physician and strict adherence to an individually designed survey schedule, which includes such activities as annual mammography; periodic (every six months or a year) clinical examination of the mammary glands; Ultrasound or MRI examination of the breast (with his appointment as the attending physician).

Radical, but quite adequate variant of the prevention of recurrence of breast cancer - preventive mastectomy (which we already mentioned, mentioning Angelina Jolie). First of all, it concerns those patients who had previously undergone radio and chemotherapy of breast cancer, but the pathological process was resumed, or the disease passed to the second mammary gland.

Program for the Prevention of Breast Cancer

The key link in the fight against breast cancer is its early detection, and, therefore, more successful treatment and improved survival. First and foremost, the program for the prevention of breast cancer involves a system of mammographic screening - that is, a survey of population groups that do not show visible symptoms of the disease but are at risk of developing it. In economically developed countries, 70% of the female population is screened, and due to this, the mortality rate from breast cancer was reduced by 20%.

The world's largest non-governmental program for the prevention of dairy cancer since 1982 is being implemented in the United States, the non-governmental Organization for the Fight against Breast Cancer named Susan G. Komen (Susan G. Komen). It collects funds to support the prevention of breast cancer, as well as the treatment of American women. In 2012-2013 years. This organization collected 15 million dollars. A part of these funds went to pay mammography for more than 15 thousand American women who do not have medical insurance, for support and palliative care for more than 220 thousand patients with this diagnosis, and to fund breast cancer research. In addition, a nationwide hotline for helping patients with breast cancer is organized.

Since 2005 in Ukraine in October - due to the fact that October 20 is celebrated as the World Day against Breast Cancer - the theme month is traditionally held. Its purpose is to spread information about this disease with an emphasis on the fact that it is important to identify it as early as possible. After all, in Ukraine - with the current principles of financing health care and the lack of a program for the prevention of breast cancer - in most women this oncological pathology is diagnosed too late.

The "Bulletin of the National Cancer Registry of Ukraine" (No. 14) notes: in 2012, breast cancer was diagnosed in 16429 women, which is 67 women for every 100 thousand of the female population of the country. Moreover, in 77% of women the disease was detected at the I-II stages, in 13.3% - at the III stage, and at 7.2 - on IV. 7558 women with this diagnosis in 2012 died ...

And the latest report of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to the World Health Organization reports that since the beginning of 2012 around the world breast cancer has been diagnosed in 1.7 million women, and this is 20% more than in 2008 (1.38 million). The global scale of deaths from this disease is constantly growing, and only in 2012, breast cancer killed 552,000 women. Increase in the incidence of Western specialists associated with adverse health changes in the lifestyle of modern women. And also with the fact that prevention of breast cancer is ineffective and "the clinical successes of fighting this disease do not reach women living in many regions of the world."