Breast Cancer Awareness Month : Part 1
October is a time of year when we see pink ribbons everywhere from football to logos for companies. Of course this is a great reminder of how many loved ones have walked the battle of breast cancer, but far too often we neglect to use October as a time to think about breast cancer and what we can do to reduce the ever rising rates. Breast cancer impacts 1 out of every 8 women in the United States, and rates are continuing to climb each year. In addition, we are now seeing women in their 20s and 30s commonly being diagnosed with breast cancer when typical breast cancer prevention screening does not start until 40 for the average woman. 30% of the annual cancer diagnosis in the United States are breast cancer diagnosis annually. While the 5 year survival rate of breast cancer according to the NIH is 91.2% there is still an estimated death toll of 42,250. This means that breast cancer death numbers are just short of that of colorectal and pancreatic cancer diagnosis. This information is heavy, and if you have ever personally been through a cancer diagnoses or watched a loved one through a battle you understand that this month is about more than just the color of a ribbon. It should be a time where we celebrate survivors, remember those who lost their battle, and have conversations on potential ways to slow the rise of the increasing numbers of this diagnosis.
That is exactly what we are aiming to do for the next two journal entries!
While breast cancer does have a large genetic component it is important to understand only 5%-10% of breast cancer is the result of a genetic gene mutation. The two most common gene mutations for breast cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Many who have a long history of breast cancer in their family history opt for DNA testing to acquire this information prior to a cancer diagnosis. The good (and scary) news is that 90%-95% of breast cancer is due to environmental factors of which we do have some control of. In understanding these heavily researched environmental factors that have been linked to breast cancer it can give back the ability to make active choices daily toward protecting your breast health and reduce the risk of a breast cancer diagnosis. Just like everything else, there is no sure 100% method to prevent cancer! If there were, I think we would all agree to do it. However, we can reduce risk through limiting exposures daily and feel more empowered toward our long term health.
According to the NIH endocrine disruptions play a large role in affecting breast cancer. Most women are aware of the important role estrogen plays in not just maintaining hormone balance but overall metabolic health. However, high levels of estrogen are directly linked to increased breast cancer risk. What we fail to realize all too often is that all of those endocrine disruptors are also referred to as Xenoestrogens. This means that their function in the body is to mimic your naturally occurring estrogen. This leads to many women being estrogen dominance which is also linked to rising female diagnosis such as PCOS and Endometriosis (this alone will be a separate post later along with infertility). So what does this mean? It means that by looking at the products you use and limiting endocrine disrupting chemicals from your daily exposure through processed foods, makeup, skincare, and sunscreen you are making an impactful difference in your long term breast cancer risk. This is increasingly more important if you are a survivor of breast cancer with a risk of recurrence.
The last thing to mention specially today is BPA and the associated risk with breast cancer. The NIH and countless peer reviewed studies have directly linked BPA exposure and consumption to increased breast cancer risk. These studies suggest a link between increased risk of breast cancer and exposure to BPA at doses below what the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers as safe for consumption. BPAs exert estrogenic effects and are found in canned and plastic wrapped foods, food packaging, and plasticware. Mechanistically, bisphenols bind to the estrogen receptor (ER) and activate the expression of genes associated with cell proliferation and breast cancer. BPA is really a tough one but it is most commonly found in plastics such as disposable water bottles, inside lining of canned food, Tupperware, and more. Think about how many times many of us store food in plastic containers and then reheat that food in the plastic container then transferring microplastics into our food from the packaging. Fully eliminating BPA takes a while, but becoming aware of products that contain it will help to become more aware of exposure.
We have to protect women’s health. Cancer rates in the United States overall are rising along with chronic disease, autoimmune illness, diabetes, and infertility rates. We are in a crisis that is seemingly going unnoticed. It is important to start having these conversations and taking small steps to make a difference in our personal health. Can’t wait for part 2 of this series!
Research Links:
https://www.breastcancer.org/facts-statistics
https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7286136/#sec29
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7710764/
Suggested Swaps:
Owala water bottle BPA, lead, and phthalate-free
Silicone BPA free Reusable Bags - better alternative than Ziploc and dishwasher safe