This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I think it’s a good time to take a look at breast cancer and the beneficial effects exercise has on the disease. Risk factors can increase one's chances of developing any disease; the risk factors associated with breast cancer are:
- Age – Breast cancer is more likely to develop as one grows older.
- Menstruation onset – A woman's risk of developing breast cancer may be higher if her first period began when she was under the age of 12.
- Delay of first pregnancy – A woman who delays starting a family until she is in her mid-30s or older is at an increased risk.
- History of breast cancer – A previous case of having breast cancer may increase chances for it to return (a recurrence).
- Family history – The likelihood of developing breast cancer increases if your mother or sister had breast cancer, especially if at an early age.
- Radiation therapy – Radiation therapy to the chest, given more than 10 years ago, especially in women younger than 30 years old, may increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.
- Other breast diseases – A previous breast biopsy specimen showing certain types of benign breast conditions may indicate a higher risk of developing breast cancer. For most women, ordinary "lumpiness" of the breast tissues does not increase their risk.
There has been, and continues to be, extensive research done on the causes and the prevention of breast cancer. Some research suggests increased physical activity, even later in life, can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer by 20 percent. The recommendation is 30 minutes of light to moderate activity five times a week. Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., (a member of Fred Hutchinson's Public Health Sciences Division and lead author of Breast Fitness: An Optimal Exercise and Health Plan for Reducing Your Risk of Breast Cancer) states, even when women start exercising in postmenopausal years, they can cut their risk of breast cancer by about 20 percent.
The researchers also found that exercising can cut the risk for so-called high-risk women (women with one or more risk factors). A reduction in body fat content produced lower risk compared to overweight or obese women whose risk factors didn’t diminish with exercise initially, but as they began to drop out of the overweight category their risk factors also diminished. McTiernan found that women whose weight fell between light and moderately overweight and who walked at least 10 hours per week experienced risk factor reductions of up to 30 percent.
Overweight and obese women should not be discouraged because there are still benefits to had from exercising such as lower risk of heart disease and diabetes. Researchers believe fatty tissues produce hormones, estrogen and insulin, which may promote cancer development. Therefore by lowering body fat you lower the levels of circulating cancer-promoting hormones. The best fat-burning activity is one that can be done at a light to moderate pace for at least 30 minutes each day.
When researchers looked at women’s combined adulthood activities, whether light, moderate or strenuous and determined that those with the highest overall activity levels were the most protected.
"Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels." – Faith Whittley
Resource: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
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