Understanding Breast Cancer -- the Basics
Understanding Breast Cancer -- the Basics
High doses of radiation, such as with nuclear exposure, or therapeutic radiation, such as used for Hodgkin lymphoma, are a factor for breast cancer development after15-20 years. Mammography poses almost no risk of breast cancer development.
The link between diet and breast cancer has been debated. Obesity is a noteworthy risk factor, predominately in postmenopausal women, because obesity alters a woman's estrogen metabolism. Drinking alcohol regularly -- particularly more than one drink a day -- also increases the risk of breast cancer. Many studies have shown that women whose diets are high in fat, either from red meat or high-fat dairy products, are more likely to get the disease. Researchers suspect that if a woman lowers her daily calories from fat -- to less than 20-30 percent -- her diet may help protect her from developing breast cancer.
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What Causes Breast Cancer? continued...
High doses of radiation, such as with nuclear exposure, or therapeutic radiation, such as used for Hodgkin lymphoma, are a factor for breast cancer development after15-20 years. Mammography poses almost no risk of breast cancer development.
The link between diet and breast cancer has been debated. Obesity is a noteworthy risk factor, predominately in postmenopausal women, because obesity alters a woman's estrogen metabolism. Drinking alcohol regularly -- particularly more than one drink a day -- also increases the risk of breast cancer. Many studies have shown that women whose diets are high in fat, either from red meat or high-fat dairy products, are more likely to get the disease. Researchers suspect that if a woman lowers her daily calories from fat -- to less than 20-30 percent -- her diet may help protect her from developing breast cancer.