There are some details from the study in my most recent blog worth discussing.
Intensity and the age you start being physically active don't matter, but duration does.
The greatest impact was on Estrogen Receptor Positive tumors, which are the most common kind (75%). The greater benefit of exercise was seen in those women who had children.
The only caveat: those who exercised and gained weight lost the benefit. Staying the same weight and being physically active reduced the risk of breast cancer, but gaining weight, even if exercising, negated the effect of activity in reducing breast cancer risk.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is information and not personal medical advice.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Maybe you've heard, exercise reduces breast cancer!
We have blogged before about the ample evidence that physical activity and regular exercise reduces breast cancer risk, but now we know more about duration, intensity and timing.
And the news is good.
The source is online in Cancer this week (available only to subscribers) from patients in a long term study evaluating the environmental causes of breast cancer. Researchers from the University of North Carolina, lead by Lauren McCullough, reported on results from the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project. They followed and compared 1500 women with breast cancer and 1500 women without breast cancer between 20 and 98 years old.
They confirmed what volumes of research has shown, that any exercise and physical activity reduces the risk of breast cancer, but they showed that intensity did not matter. Recreational physical activity of any kind works: gardening, walking--just move.
They showed that you may start anytime and get the benefit. "I didn't exercise when I was younger" doesn't matter. You can start now and decrease your risk!
Intensity and timing don't matter, so what does?
Duration is the key. Those women who exercised at all, had 6% fewer cancers than those sedentary women. Those who engaged in some sort of physical activity for at least 10 hours per week showed the greatest benefit: 30% fewer cancers! 2 hours 5 days or 1.5 hours every day per week.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is information and not personal medical advice.
And the news is good.
The source is online in Cancer this week (available only to subscribers) from patients in a long term study evaluating the environmental causes of breast cancer. Researchers from the University of North Carolina, lead by Lauren McCullough, reported on results from the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project. They followed and compared 1500 women with breast cancer and 1500 women without breast cancer between 20 and 98 years old.
They confirmed what volumes of research has shown, that any exercise and physical activity reduces the risk of breast cancer, but they showed that intensity did not matter. Recreational physical activity of any kind works: gardening, walking--just move.
They showed that you may start anytime and get the benefit. "I didn't exercise when I was younger" doesn't matter. You can start now and decrease your risk!
Intensity and timing don't matter, so what does?
Duration is the key. Those women who exercised at all, had 6% fewer cancers than those sedentary women. Those who engaged in some sort of physical activity for at least 10 hours per week showed the greatest benefit: 30% fewer cancers! 2 hours 5 days or 1.5 hours every day per week.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is information and not personal medical advice.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
So, who should get the BREVAGen risk assessment test?
The BREVAGen test is an office cheek swab with 7 bits of clinical data about you. It doesn't hurt and doesn't take long. It has been clinically validated in a large study of women over 35. So, who should get one?
- the other 80% (those without a very strong family history)
- those with a strong family history who tested negative for BRCA 1 & 2
- those with a family history not meeting criteria for BRCA 1 & 2 testing
- those who have had a beast biopsy
- those with an intermediate Gail Score
- obese women
- women with dense breast tissue
- anyone over 35 who wants to know her risk more clearly
Check the website http://brevagen.com/find to find a doctor near you. You may even figure out your own Gail score (the clinical part) before your doctor visit. If you have any question, please don't hesitate to call me 512-451-5788 or comment below.
Together we can prevent 75,00 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is general information and not personal medical advice.
Together we can prevent 75,00 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is general information and not personal medical advice.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
BREAST CANCER: What's my chance?
Having just returned from the Pacific Northwest, where I discussed one way to answer that question with many doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses, it occurred to me to blog more about it.
Risk is the probability of getting the disease, not your destiny; thus the value of intervention in higher risk women. We know that if you have a family history of breast cancer, you are more likely to get breast cancer, or no full term pregnancy, or have a beast biopsy. You know, we have discussed them in the blog. For some very young women with beast cancer and a family history of young primary relative with breast or ovarian cancer, the BRCA 1 & 2 test may be the answer, but for most (the other 80%), that gene test doesn't apply.
There is a way to put all these clinical factors together and personalize the answer for the more common kind of breast cancer by including your genetics. It is called the BREVAGen Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Test (or BREVAGen for short). It is the best clinically validated way to find the clearest answer to the question: what's my chance?
A cheek swab and 7 data points and you get an answer in 3 weeks.
The answer gives you a lifetime risk to help us know what kind of screening regimen is best for you and a 5-year risk to help us know if you might benefit from estrogen receptor blocker to reduce risk. Of course, anyone who reads the blog knows all the other healthy lifestyle changes that reduce a woman's chance of ever getting breast cancer.
We will blog more specifics about the test tomorrow. You may find more now at www.brevagen.com.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
Risk is the probability of getting the disease, not your destiny; thus the value of intervention in higher risk women. We know that if you have a family history of breast cancer, you are more likely to get breast cancer, or no full term pregnancy, or have a beast biopsy. You know, we have discussed them in the blog. For some very young women with beast cancer and a family history of young primary relative with breast or ovarian cancer, the BRCA 1 & 2 test may be the answer, but for most (the other 80%), that gene test doesn't apply.
There is a way to put all these clinical factors together and personalize the answer for the more common kind of breast cancer by including your genetics. It is called the BREVAGen Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Test (or BREVAGen for short). It is the best clinically validated way to find the clearest answer to the question: what's my chance?
A cheek swab and 7 data points and you get an answer in 3 weeks.
The answer gives you a lifetime risk to help us know what kind of screening regimen is best for you and a 5-year risk to help us know if you might benefit from estrogen receptor blocker to reduce risk. Of course, anyone who reads the blog knows all the other healthy lifestyle changes that reduce a woman's chance of ever getting breast cancer.
We will blog more specifics about the test tomorrow. You may find more now at www.brevagen.com.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
Monday, June 11, 2012
The opportunity!
The last news item from the recent ASCO meeting in Chicago last week comes from the Extended Education Session "Cancer Prevention for Cancer Survivors"
http://chicago2012.asco.org/ASCODailyNews/Survivorprevention.aspx.
It is estimated that in the US, there are 1 million new cancer survivors each year, comprising 3.5% of the US population now. 16% of cancer diagnoses are second primaries, so that the oncologist has an opportunity for primary prevention.
To quote Dr. Demark-Wahnefried, "It is important for oncologists to seize the opportunity to encourage their patients to exercise, lose weight and to stop smoking."
So, more and more people are understanding the role of lifestyle on cancer occurrence and recurrence. Perhaps with this added recognition at a national meeting, more doctors will encourage their patients:
http://chicago2012.asco.org/ASCODailyNews/Survivorprevention.aspx.
It is estimated that in the US, there are 1 million new cancer survivors each year, comprising 3.5% of the US population now. 16% of cancer diagnoses are second primaries, so that the oncologist has an opportunity for primary prevention.
To quote Dr. Demark-Wahnefried, "It is important for oncologists to seize the opportunity to encourage their patients to exercise, lose weight and to stop smoking."
So, more and more people are understanding the role of lifestyle on cancer occurrence and recurrence. Perhaps with this added recognition at a national meeting, more doctors will encourage their patients:
- Be lean
- Be active
- Regularly exercise
- Don't smoke
- Limit alcohol
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is information and not personal medical advice.
Friday, June 8, 2012
More data about the wonder drug, aspirin!
We have recently blogged about aspirin and all cancer risk reduction, but an interesting report at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting may provide more understanding http://abstract.asco.org/AbstView_114_99184.html.
A population based study of breast cancer patients in Ireland of various stages who were followed for a mean of 3.3 years was reported, specifically comparing two groups: aspirin users and nonusers.
The Irish have a General Medical Service with data on drug refills and a Linked National Cancer Registry that the researchers used in the study to document aspirin use. Those women who used aspirin (75mg/day) had a reduction in all cause mortality and breast cancer specific mortality when compared to nonusers. When they reviewed the data of high aspirin exposure (filled prescriptions for at least 83% of days) vs low use (58% of days) they found that only the high users saw the benefits: 30% fewer deaths and 37% fewer deaths related to breast cancer.
The take home message: those breast cancer survivors who take aspirin (81mg in the US) every day, not only have fewer recurrences (previous studies), but fewer deaths!
You need to discuss aspirin use with your doctor to make certain it is right for you.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
Remember this medical content is information and not personal medical advice.
A population based study of breast cancer patients in Ireland of various stages who were followed for a mean of 3.3 years was reported, specifically comparing two groups: aspirin users and nonusers.
The Irish have a General Medical Service with data on drug refills and a Linked National Cancer Registry that the researchers used in the study to document aspirin use. Those women who used aspirin (75mg/day) had a reduction in all cause mortality and breast cancer specific mortality when compared to nonusers. When they reviewed the data of high aspirin exposure (filled prescriptions for at least 83% of days) vs low use (58% of days) they found that only the high users saw the benefits: 30% fewer deaths and 37% fewer deaths related to breast cancer.
The take home message: those breast cancer survivors who take aspirin (81mg in the US) every day, not only have fewer recurrences (previous studies), but fewer deaths!
You need to discuss aspirin use with your doctor to make certain it is right for you.
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
Remember this medical content is information and not personal medical advice.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Are you ready for the weight loss "secret"?
Doesn't everybody love secrets? And what if there were a weight loss "secret"?
I ran across this interesting article from a Lt. Col. Anthony Bankes 4th Aerospace Medicine Squadron http://www.seymourjohnson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123301951 published by the US Air Force, explaining the "secret". It makes for great reading.
A few pertinent truths from the piece:
I ran across this interesting article from a Lt. Col. Anthony Bankes 4th Aerospace Medicine Squadron http://www.seymourjohnson.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123301951 published by the US Air Force, explaining the "secret". It makes for great reading.
A few pertinent truths from the piece:
- To lose one pound, you need to burn 3500 calories more than you eat
- It takes work to lose weight
- It takes time to learn about the calories you eat
- It takes time to burn them off
- Approach weight loss and exercises as PRIORITIES
To lose one pound per week (3500 calories) you need to expend 500 calories each day more than you eat for each of the 7 days in the week.
It is not easy, but we have given many resources, apps, etc in the blog that may help. If you decide that you will lose weight or want to help someone else lose weight, I hope that they will help. Imagine what you can do!
Together we can prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is information and not personal medical advice. If you decide to lose weight and would like help call me at 512-451-5788.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Celery, Parsley and Thyme!
Numerous studies have shown that progestins promote the growth of human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. A recent study in Hormones and Cancer showed that the proliferative effect of progestins on human breast cancers could be stopped by apigenin http://www.springerlink.com/content/c102u8m8807wh061/.
The researchers implanted tumors into mice and exposed them to medroxyprogesterone acetate (the most commonly used progestin in the US) as a control and then gave apigenin as treatment.
The data clearly indicated that apigenin, a plant anti-carcinogenic flavanoid, inhibits progression and development in these implanted breast cancers, by causing cell death, inhibiting cell proliferation and reducing the levels of a gene associated with cancer proliferation. Interestingly, the normal growth of the mouse breast cells was not inhibited by the apigenin, making it a particularly attractive chemotherapeutic agent for future study.
And where do we get this magic medicine? It is a plant flavanoid found in many plants, but is in very high concentrations in celery, parsley and thyme, but also in apples, chamomile tea, red grapes and tomatoes.
Together we car prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is intended as information and not personal medical advice.
The researchers implanted tumors into mice and exposed them to medroxyprogesterone acetate (the most commonly used progestin in the US) as a control and then gave apigenin as treatment.
The data clearly indicated that apigenin, a plant anti-carcinogenic flavanoid, inhibits progression and development in these implanted breast cancers, by causing cell death, inhibiting cell proliferation and reducing the levels of a gene associated with cancer proliferation. Interestingly, the normal growth of the mouse breast cells was not inhibited by the apigenin, making it a particularly attractive chemotherapeutic agent for future study.
And where do we get this magic medicine? It is a plant flavanoid found in many plants, but is in very high concentrations in celery, parsley and thyme, but also in apples, chamomile tea, red grapes and tomatoes.
Together we car prevent 75,000 breast cancer cases each year!
This content is intended as information and not personal medical advice.
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