Writen by Angeliki Iovanni, General Surgeon, Scientific Associate of ANASSA Clinic
No one knows exactly what causes breast cancer. But what we do know is that if breast cancer is diagnosed early, then there are more treatment options and a better prognosis (disease outcome), even a cure.
However, there are things that every woman can do to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer or detect it at an early stage, when a complete cure may be possible.
- Lifestyle modification (e.g. healthy diet, physical exercise and avoiding obesity, childbearing at a young age, avoiding exposure to unnecessary radiation, avoiding the use of hormones, etc.) reduces the risk of developing breast cancer
- Following the rules of preventive control with regular clinical examination of the breasts by a specialist doctor and annual mammography can lead to early diagnosis an early, small-sized cancer or even precancerous lesions that can only be seen on a mammogram (these cases are treated with great success)
- Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and is the 2nd leading cause of death in women from cancer, after lung cancer worldwide
- Each year more than 1.3 million women worldwide are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer
- the rate of early diagnosis of the disease in Greece is extremely low in contrast to other European countries which reaches up to 60%
The strategies we can draw up, in order to reduce our individual risk of getting breast cancer, mainly concern our daily habits and diet.
The integration of regular physical exercise into everyday life as well as the adoption of a balanced diet is recommended for all women, in order to improve their health and reduce their personal risk of getting sick from breast cancer. A number of studies have focused on ascertaining the possible link between breast cancer and diet. Our diet shields the body’s natural defenses against dozens of diseases and one of them is breast cancer.
Secondary prevention refers to the means available to diagnose the disease at an early stage, in order to achieve better therapeutic results.
The beginning should be made with the monthly self-examination of the breasts in all adult women. The best time is after the end of menstruation, around day 8 – 11 of the cycle (1st day we count the day the period starts).
This is followed by the annual check-up of the breasts by a doctor specialized in breast diseases, with taking of personal and family history, palpation of the breasts and control of the imaging tests.
There are many imaging tests such as breast ultrasound, elastography, tomosynthesis, which help in early and accurate diagnosis, but should be part of the diagnostic effort of the attending physician and not routine tests.