An A-Z Woman's Guide to Vibrant Health
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the primary cause of death for women between the ages of 35 and
54. Despite great strides in our medical knowledge, cancer rates have increased
dramatically in the last 40 years. In 1960, one in 20 women developed breast cancer.
Today, that number is one in eight. Sadly, one quarter of women who develop breast
cancer will die from the disease. Recurrence rates are up to 30 percent in those
past the five year mark.
Normal, healthy cells go through a series of steps to ensure life. They grow, divide
and die in a carefully performed, predetermined symphony. During this highly complex
process, the cell's genetic code of DNA is duplicated and transferred to new cells.
Normally this process takes place without error, but every once in a while a mistake
occurs. Most mistakes are quickly repaired, but on occasion a mistake may not be
detected and cells will be allowed to perform differently than usual. Normal cell
conduct organizes cells into their correct location, turns growth off and on as
required and ensures that cells do not crowd each other.
Cancer cells do not play by the rules. Cancer begins in normal cells that have become
renegades. These abnormal cells, also called malignant cells, turn the
immune system against itself, multiply unchecked, steal nutrients, re-route blood
supplies away from normal body functions and lack preprogrammed cell death (called
apoptosis). Because these turncoat cells are similar to other healthy cells,
often the immune system fails to detect and kill them. The cancer cells' goal is
to survive at all cost, even if they kill their host. The key to stopping breast
cancer is to determine what triggers abnormal cell reproduction and put an end to
it.
Symptoms
Early detection of breast cancer is crucial. Become familiar with the look and feel
of your breasts and report any changes to your doctor. According to the National
Cancer Institute, nipple tenderness, discharge or nipples turning in toward the
breast should be reported. Any lump or thickness located in or near the breast and
under the arm, or a change in the size or shape of the breast is cause for concern.
Breasts are lumpy by nature, so do not panic if you locate a lump. Benign lumps
tend to be soft, smooth, round and movable, while cancerous lumps are firmly attached
within the breast and tend to be hard, with an odd shape. Talk to your doctor if
the skin on your areola, nipple or breast is red, scaly or swollen, with ridges
or dimpling like an orange peel.
Mammography is a method for finding lumps, but it has its limitations (see mammography,
MRI and thermography in
Appendix C). For women under the age of 40, mammograms are difficult to
interpret due to denser breast tissue, benign or fibrocystic breast disease. Mammograms
are also unreliable, often giving false positive and false negative readings. Mammography
ranges from being uncomfortable to being downright painful for women, and exposure
to the radiation with each successive test increases breast cancer risk.
Breast thermography and MRI are safe alternatives to mammography. Any suspicious
lumps receive a biopsy, which involves the removal of tissue with a needle. This
procedure confirms or rules out the diagnosis of cancer.
Causes
Defects in the genetic code of the cell are not the sole cause of cancer; when these
defects are combined with environmental and lifestyle factors including the use
of hormones, pesticides, radiation, stress, toxic agents, viruses and nutritional
deficiencies, cancer cells get the green light. Since most of these factors are
controllable, we need to define the external factors that increase our risk of breast
cancer.
According to Dr. Susan Love, author of Breast Book, breast cancer may be
caused by a combination of genes that are mutated by cancer-causing agents known
as carcinogens. Carcinogens cause uncontrolled cell growth that is strictly confined
to the ductal or lobular units of the breast, and these growths are known as precancerous
lesions. With additional mutations, these lesions burst out of the duct
or lobule into the surrounding fat and tissue. One mutated cell can reproduce and
develop into an invasive tumor with its own blood supply. These cells may also spread
through the lymphatic system or bloodstream to affect other organs. When this happens,
the cancer is said to have metastasized. Breast cancer can spread to the
bone, for example, and the cancer there would be considered and treated as metastasized
breast cancer rather than bone cancer. The only way to stop this series of events
is to stop the carcinogens, and the only way achieve that is to understand what
they are.
Key Risk Factors: Leading the list of risk factors for breast cancer
are exposure to toxic environmental estrogens called xenoestrogens (pronounced
"zeno"- estrogens) and the use of the hormone estrogen. Environmental estrogens
are dangerous for several reasons: they act like estrogen in the body; they cause
our own estrogen to convert to cancer-causing forms of estrogen; they increase our
risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer; they promote infertility by suppressing
progesterone; and they cause early puberty (See
Ovarian Cysts,
Precocious Puberty). Xenoestrogens are found in soft plastic products,
plastic wrap, medical plastics used in IV bags and oxygen tubing, pesticide-laden
foods (fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat), dioxins, cosmetics containing parabens,
chemicals used to bleach feminine hygiene products, dry cleaning chemicals and nail
polish. Dark hair dyes contain phenylenediamine, an estrogen-mimicker and known
cancer-causing agent.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology in 2004 found that
parabens were found in 18 of 20 breast tumors. Parabens are used extensively in
cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and deodorants. Women who used antiperspirants or deodorants,
who shaved frequently and who started these habits before age 16, were found, in
a study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, to be diagnosed
with cancer up to 22 years earlier than those who rarely used the products.
The hormone estrogen is commonly prescribed for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
either alone or in combination with progestins. In July 2002, the debate about the
safety of estrogen plus progestins finally ended: a Women's Health Initiative (WHI)
study was halted when researchers noted an increased risk of blood clots, breast
cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke in participants. In fact, the study group
had a 26 percent increase in the risk of invasive breast cancer. This wasn't the
first study to show a link between hormone therapy and breast cancer, but it is
the one that caught the attention of the scientific community. As a result, the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration finally listed estrogen as a carcinogenic agent.
The FDA now recommends that hormone replacement therapy be used at the lowest doses
and for the shortest period of time that will produce desired results.
Prolonged use of oral contraceptives is another controversial subject. Try natural
fertility monitors to determine your fertility cycle and when you are at risk of
becoming pregnant. As well, be aware that some anti-depressants, cholesterol-reducing
drugs and anti-hypertension medications increase the risk of breast cancer. Statins,
used to lower cholesterol, also deplete the body of the breast protective nutrient
coenzyme Q10 (Co-Q10). Silicone breast implants, especially those encased in polyurethane
foam, cause trauma to breast tissue during implantation.
Early onset of menstruation, often the result of excess estrogen caused by xenoestrogens,
is also an issue, as is late onset of menopause. (See
Precocious Puberty,
Menopause) Being overweight or obese increases estrogen stores in fat,
and can also contribute to breast cancer. (See
Weight Management)
Poor diet also plays a starring role in the development of breast cancer, and is
a factor in 35 percent of cases. Diets high in hormone containing meats, animal
fats and dairy products are associated with breast cancer, as are cigarette smoking
and the early or excessive consumption of alcohol. As fiber helps to pull excess
estrogen from the body, diets that are low in fiber can be a factor in high levels
of circulating estrogens, which promote breast disease.
PRESCRIPTION FOR WOMEN'S HEALTHY BREASTS
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Multivitamins with minerals; (contains no iron)
MULTISMART
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As directed. For complete formula recommendations see
Appendix A
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Ensures adequate nutrient status
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2 capsules twice a day with food containing:
D-glucarate 300 mg
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Important for healthy metabolism of estrogen; detoxifies breast cancer-promoting
agents
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Turmeric 100 mg
(95% curcumin) daily
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Prevents breast cancer, detoxifies cancercausing form of estrogen, excellent to
reduce chemotherapy side effects
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Indole-3-carbinol 300 mg
(found in cruciferous vegetables)
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Reduces risk of breast cancer, can be used in conjunction with tamoxifen; prevents
healthy estrogen from converting into the cancer-causing form
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Green tea extract 200 mg daily
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Protects against breast cancer
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Rosemary extract 50 mg daily
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Reduces tumor formation and breast lumps; antioxidant
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Antioxidant, reduces risk of breast cancer
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Sulforaphane 400 mcg daily
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Reduces risk of breast cancer
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Evening Primrose Oil or Borage Oil containing GLA
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3000 mg Evening Primrose
or
2000 mg Borage oil per day
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Anti-inflammatory; controls negative prostaglandins involved in pain and inflammation
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BREAST CANCER AND MILK THISTLE
The B.C. Cancer Agency has cautioned women about using the herb milk thistle when
they have breast cancer. Research on milk thistle's effect on breast cancer cells
has predominantly been conducted in test tube studies. Until there is strong human
research involving women with breast cancer, I feel it is prudent to avoid milk
thistle if you have breast cancer.
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HEALTH TIPS TO ENHANCE HEALING
- Eat organic foods, especially organic dairy products, to avoid xenoestrogens. Focus
on a diet high in organic vegetables, especially those from the cruciferous family:
broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts as they are high in the cancer
fighter Indole-3 carbinol. Reduce your intake of sugar as it suppresses the immune
system. Ensure that the fats you eat are those that are rich in fatty acids.
- Lignans are a plant estrogen found in very high concentration in flax seeds. Researchers
at the University of Toronto believe that daily consumption of the lignans in flax
seeds (which you can grind and sprinkle on your cereal every day) can help to prevent
and treat breast cancer. Alphalinolenic acid from flax seed oil has also been shown
to have a breast cancer protective effect.
- Avoid nail polishes that contain formaldehyde or tolulene. Look for those that are
phthalate-free. (pronounced thay-late) These xenoestrogens have been linked
with reproductive disorders. Avoid dark hair dyes, which have been linked with cancer.
Go blonde, or go natural! Safe, toxin-free products are available at your local
health products store. Look for Herbatint in the health food store; it is a great
natural hair dye.
- Use natural cosmetics that do not contain parabens. Find natural, toxin-free products
at your health products store.
- Take ESTROSMART breast-supporting
nutrients every day.
- Protect your breasts from breast traumas as they promote DNA damage. Remember the
more breast X-rays you have, the more DNA damage your cells will experience.
- Avoid clothes that need to be dry-cleaned, and use only unbleached sanitary products
(NatraCare feminine hygiene
products).
- Support new mothers to breastfeed as long as possible, as nursing is a potent protector
against breast cancer.
- Avoid hormone replacement therapy; the combination of estrogen and progestin has
been found to increase the risk of invasive breast cancer. Use herbal alternatives
to treat menopausal symptoms (see Menopause).
- Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week to reduce your breast
cancer risk dramatically.
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