Young women should beware of five factors that may increase the risk of breast cancer, The Rose, the leading breast cancer specialty and support center in the Houston area, reported. October is breast cancer awareness month, and officials at The Rose are warning women about five dangers that could lead to increased health risks at a younger age than ever before.
1. Large consumption of meat and chicken
Those fast food hamburgers may be doing more than packing on the pounds. A lot of meat contains high levels of estrogen, a hormone that feeds breast cancer. “This year we had a 19-year-old diagnosed with advanced breast cancer and just weeks ago a 27-year-old diagnosed with the condition.” said Dr. Dixie Melillo, breast cancer surgeon at The Rose. “Young women today grew up eating beef and chicken from hormone-fed animals, and now we are seeing the results.” It’s recommended young girls eat meat in moderation and stick with the organic kind when possible.
2. Obesity
Sugar-laden junk foods and carbohydrates such as french fries and chips produce more body fat. Obesity can in turn increase the amount of estrogen, which helps tumors grow in women’s bodies. Regular exercise will help women reduce the amount of fat tissue that produces excess estrogen in their bodies.
3. Early onset of first menstrual period
The earlier puberty occurs, the longer a woman is exposed to estrogen. “Many girls are getting periods earlier because of the high fat and hormone-induced foods they eat. Excess estrogen at these earlier ages can be harmful long-term,” Dr. Melillo said.
4. No pregnancies before the age of 30
While pregnant, women develop hormones that protect them against breast cancer. The longer they go without birthing children, the less protection their body has. “The interruption of the estrogen cycle caused by pregnancy is helpful,” Dr. Melillo said.
5. Use of birth control
The increased exposure to estrogen at an early age and long uses of contraceptives is feared to expose women to increased risk of breast cancer.
“We are seeing more and more young women diagnosed with breast cancer and they need to know about that even though they may be too young for a mammogram, they are not too young for breast cancer.” said Dorothy Weston Gibbons, CEO of The Rose and president of the Breast Health Collaborative of Texas. Consider that there are more than 250,000 women living in the U.S. who were diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40 or under, and approximately 10,000 young women will be diagnosed in the next year. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 15 to 54. “Nationally, under 7% of all breast cancer cases occur in women under 40 years old, at The Rose, 10% of all cancers detected are in women under 40,” Gibbons added.
According to National Recommendations, routine screening mammograms should start at age 40. Regular mammograms are not recommended for younger women, in part, because breast tissue tends to be denser in young women, making mammograms a less effective as a screening tool. This is one reason The Rose established its Young Women’s Clinic in 2005. The Clinic is offered at both Rose locations, using a protocol driven program combining mammography, ultrasound and clinical correlation, designed especially for women 35 years old and younger.
“Exercise, maintain a diet low in fat and carbs, do regular self-breast exams, and get screened, especially if there’s a family history of breast cancer,” Dr. Melillo said. “It might save your life.”
The Rose uses advanced technology to provide mammography screening and also ultrasound testing—critical for better detection of breast cancer in younger women. The leading breast cancer center also provides immediate diagnosis—no days or weeks of agonizing wait for test results, early access to the best treatment available, and caring support for patients.
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