Women Health: Working Women and Urban Lifestyle Leads To Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cause of female death worldwide. Although a lot of research is being conducted on breast cancer, still there is no evidence-based conclusion for its risk factors, causes, and treatment. Recently, a study concluded that women who live and work in urban areas are more likely to develop breast cancer because of denser breasts as compared to women living in rural areas.
Breast Cancer Researches
Female’s breasts are fatty, glandular, or a mix of both. It was found in the study that females who have more glandular breasts show denser tissue on a mammogram and are at four times higher risk of developing breast cancer than females who have fatty breasts. Also, for every 1 per cent increase in the density of breast, there is an estimated 2 per cent increase in the risk of developing breast cancer.
In addition to this, another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that dense breasts in females increase the risk of breast cancer by five times as compared to those with less or no dense tissue. The study also revealed that dense tissues make it more difficult to detect tumours in a mammogram and thereby, increases the risk of missed cancer or cancer development between tests.
Another report on cancer, being a lifestyle disease, suggested the same and concluded that an estimated 1 in 22 women who live in an urban area is likely to develop breast cancer during her lifetime.
Statistical Analyses
Apart from being the reason for maximum female deaths, breast cancer is also the most diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. There were approximately over 2 million new cases of breast cancer in the year 2018.
According to the World Cancer Research Fund International, the incidence of breast cancer has increased by more than 20 per cent since 2008 and its mortality has increased by 14 per cent.
Earlier, breast cancer was considered to be a disease of the developed countries but it is now a disease of less developed countries as well with almost 50 per cent of the cases and 58 per cent of deaths occurring due to breast cancer in less developed countries.
Diet and lifestyle characteristics
Diet and lifestyle habits are considered to be partly responsible for about 30 to 40 per cent of all cancers, including breast cancer. An urban lifestyle that includes unhealthy diet and lifestyle habits may increase the risk of breast cancer especially.
Here are a few examples:
· Wide exposure to cancer-causing carcinogens at a workplace in urban areas
· Eating processed, fatty, and unhealthy foods
· Not taking fresh fruits and vegetables
· Taking salt-cured, pickled, and smoked foods
· Having high-calorie foods
· Eating refined grains
· Not including enough fibre in the diet
· Late conception after 30 years
· Not breastfeeding baby
· Using hormonal birth control options
Methods to Overcome Breast Cancer Risk
Although there is no established lifestyle that can prevent breast cancer, there are some ways to lower its risk. The following are some of the most common ways by which one can reduce the risk of breast cancer:
· Weight: Obesity has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. The greater the fatty tissue in the body, the greater the chances of getting breast cancer. Especially after menopause, most of the estrogen comes from fat tissue and having more fat tissue raises estrogen levels and increases the risk of breast cancer.
Also, overweight women have higher levels of insulin that have also been linked to breast cancer. So weight management is most important to stay healthy and embrace the reduces the risk of breast cancer.
If you’re already at a healthy weight, stay there. And if you have those extra kilos, then try to lose them with all your efforts as there is some evidence that shows losing extra weight may also lower the risk for breast cancer. Apart from this, losing weight will also have other health benefits to your body.
· Exercise: Exercise has also been found to be the abreast-healthy habit. As per the recommendations of The American Cancer Society, at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity every week is a must for every female to stay active and healthy. This will also keep your breasts healthy.
· Active lifestyle: Active lifestyle also plays an important role in maintaining the health of a person. On the other side, a sedentary lifestyle may increase the risk of developing breast cancer in women. According to an American Cancer Society study, there is a 10 per cent increased risk for invasive breast cancer among women who spend 6 hours or more every day sitting in comparison to women who sit less than 3 hours a day. A not only breast cancer sedentary lifestyle also increases the risk for various other lifestyle disorders as well as other cancer types.
· Alcohol: Alcohol intake by women increase the risk of breast cancer. There have been various researches that show that women who take 2 to 3 alcohol drinks a day are at a 20 per cent increased risk of developing breast cancer as compared to women who don’t drink at all. Also, research shows that there is a very small increase in breast cancer in women who have just 1 drink a day. Therefore, the American Cancer Society recommends that women should not have more than 1 alcoholic drink in a single day to decrease their breast cancer risk.
· Hormone replacement therapy: Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is generally given to women who complain of hot flashes or night sweats because of menopause. But recently, there have been various researches that show the increased likely hood of developing breast cancer in postmenopausal women who take a combination of estrogen and progestin as a part of hormone replacement therapy. Also, the risk for breast cancer appears to return to normal within 5 years after stopping the combination of hormones. Therefore, hormone replacement therapy must be considered cautiously. Also, if it is must to have hormone replacement therapy, it is best to use it at the lowest dose and for the shortest period as possible.
Conclusion
Breast cancer is growing at a stronger pace irrespective of the intensity of research going on it. Its occurrence is still uncertain due to no-evidence based confirmation about its causes and treatment. Therefore, it is advised that every woman should take preventive measures as mentioned above and undergo regular screening to stay alert. But its diagnosis must also be taken courageously as various new precise treatment modalities that consider the hormone receptor and HER2 status of breast cancer cells are being developed to increase the chances of patient survival.
