Key Takeaways
- Lifestyle changes, such as maintaining a healthy weight and staying active, can significantly reduce breast cancer risk. Obesity and lack of physical activity are known risk factors that can be controlled.
- Regular screenings and awareness of breast cancer symptoms are crucial for early detection. Mammograms can identify abnormalities before symptoms appear, increasing the chances of positive treatment outcomes.
- Knowing your family history and personal risk factors can help you and your doctor create a personalized prevention plan. This may include increased screenings, medications, or even preventive surgery.
Breast cancer accounts for about
Currently, there’s no proven way to prevent breast cancer. However, it’s possible to reduce your risk through some lifestyle changes.
Below are eight ways you can start (or continue) to lower your risk of breast cancer.
Stay physically active
Lots of research indicates that physical activity
It can also help you maintain a healthy weight and strengthen your muscles and heart, giving an overall boost to your health.
Try to get at least 30 minutes of movement every day. Adults are advised to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly.
If you’re not already active, you don’t have to jump into long fitness sessions right away. You can start small and work up to longer and more intense activities.
Often, simple exercises such as daily walks can help you begin to build healthy fitness habits.
Maintain a healthy weight
According to the
Achieving or maintaining a moderate weight is the best way to reduce the risks. Your doctor can help you develop a weight maintenance plan that makes sense for your current weight, health, and lifestyle.
Many people are able to reach weight goals by getting regular exercise and following a nutritious eating plan.
Follow a healthy diet
A nutritious diet can do more than help you maintain a healthy weight — it can also help reduce the risk of breast cancer.
It’s important to prioritize certain foods, including the ones listed directly below. All are part of a balanced diet and may have protective and anticancer effects when consumed in moderation:
- fruits and vegetables, especially berries and dark, leafy greens (e.g., kale, broccoli)
whole grains healthy fats (e.g., salmon, olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds)high fiber foods
On the other hand, research suggests that certain foods may be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. This may include:
red and processed meats (e.g., sliced deli meat, sausages)ultra-processed foods (e.g., packaged sweets, chips, white bread)- high sugar foods, as these are associated with an increased risk of obesity
Avoid smoking
The risk of breast cancer increases
If you smoke and want help quitting, speak with your doctor about your smoking cessation options.
Limit alcohol consumption
The link between alcohol and breast cancer is still being studied, but it’s a well-known risk factor for many types of cancer.
The risk is higher for people who have two to three drinks per day than for people who don’t drink. However, even just one drink per day is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.
You might try limiting the number of daily alcoholic drinks you consume or avoiding alcohol completely.
Breastfeed if possible
A 2023 research review has linked breastfeeding or chestfeeding to a reduced risk of breast cancer, possibly due to the hormonal, immunological, and physiological changes it causes to the body.
We recognize that breastfeeding isn’t an option for everyone. However, if you’re able to breastfeed, it might reduce your breast cancer risk.
Take birth control and menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) with caution
Some research links birth control and
- the medication or therapy you take
- when you take it
- the duration for which you take it
In many cases, the benefits of birth control or MHT far outweigh the small increase in breast cancer risk.
It’s a good idea to talk with your doctor about these treatment options and your risk of breast cancer. If you’re at high risk, they might recommend other options or lower your dose.
Get screened regularly for breast cancer
Following regular screening guidelines is one of the best ways to
Mammograms can catch abnormalities in breast tissue early and can find cancer before signs appear.
Other ways to understand your risk
- Know your family history: Your family history of breast cancer is one of the most important risk factors. If breast cancer runs in your family, it’s a good idea to get tested for inherited changes to the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
- Know your personal risk: Your personal risk is a combination of factors, such as having the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, a family history of breast cancer, dense breast tissue, and a previous breast cancer diagnosis.
Knowing this information and discussing it with your doctor is the first step in making a prevention plan and reducing your risk. They can recommend screenings, lifestyle adjustments, medications, and surgery to help reduce your risk.
Being aware of the symptoms of breast cancer and performing breast self-exams are other ways you can manage your risk.
Knowing the signs of breast cancer allows you to monitor yourself at home and report any changes to your doctor, which can help detect cancer in its early stages.
Often, noncancerous conditions can cause symptoms similar to those of breast cancer. Still, it’s important to speak with your doctor if you experience any of them.
Diagnosing breast cancer early will give you the highest chance for a positive treatment outcome.
Who is most at risk for breast cancer?
There are several known risk factors for breast cancer. Having multiple risk factors increases your risk of breast cancer. Risk factors in addition to the ones we covered in this article include:
- being female
- being over 50
- having inherited changes to the BRCA1 and BCRA2 genes
- having a family history of breast or ovarian cancer
- having a previous breast cancer diagnosis
- having dense breast tissue
- having previous radiation therapy
- starting menstruation before age 12
- starting menopause after age 55
Can melatonin help reduce the risk of breast cancer?
Melatonin is a supplement that’s most known as a sleep aid. Some studies have linked melatonin to a reduced risk of breast cancer.
However, this link hasn’t been proven, and more research is needed. The research may look promising, but there’s not enough evidence to say for sure if it can help reduce the risk.
If I have dense breasts, should I have yearly ultrasounds in addition to mammograms?
Ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help detect breast cancer in people with dense breasts.
Currently, there’s no official recommendation for yearly ultrasounds or MRIs in addition to mammograms for people with dense breast tissue. However, you and your doctor can discuss this option.
It might be a good idea, especially if you have additional risk factors, such as a family history of breast or ovarian cancer.
What medications help prevent breast cancer?
Two medications are currently FDA approved to help prevent breast cancer in women who have a
- Tamoxifen
- Raloxifene hydrochloride
These medications reduce the activity of estrogen in the body. You and your doctor can discuss whether these medications are appropriate for you.
There’s no way to completely predict or prevent breast cancer. However, you can take steps to reduce your risk.
These include lifestyle changes such as staying active, maintaining a moderate weight, avoiding smoking, and eating a balanced diet.
Preventive measures, such as annual screenings and learning your family history, can also help you manage your risk.
If you have a high risk of breast cancer, you and your doctor can discuss risk reduction options. For some, medications or preventive surgery are good options. Your doctor can help you decide what’s best for you.