A breast cancer prevention evening is being organized to provide more information about lifestyle factors and the risk of developing the disease which effects one in nine women in Canada.
An interactive webinar will take place Wednesday, May 6, hosted by Powell River Women’s Health Network.
Dr. Carolyn Gotay is a professor who specializes in cancer prevention at University of BC’s faculty of medicine. She leads the Cancer Prevention Centre at the university.
At least 40 per cent of breast cancer could be prevented by changing factors that people can do something about, said Gotay. “Only five to 10 per cent of breast cancers can be attributed to genetic factors,” she said, adding that this is very different to the impression the public gets from the media when high profile celebrities are undergoing pre-emptive surgeries.
Gotay said that if a person is born with a mutation in a certain gene that is associated with breast cancer the risk factor increases dramatically.
Actress Angelina Jolie, who has had genetic testing done to determine that she has the mutation, has helped raise awareness around this population, Gotay said.
“But for the average person, 90 to 95 per cent of women, that’s not the strategy that they need to use,” she added. “It wouldn’t be appropriate because they don’t have that genetic mutation.”
Gotay said the genetic tests are usually only given to women after they have been screened for potential factors, like having high rates of first degree relatives who have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer before the age of menopause.
“A few factors explain a lot of the risk in breast cancer,” Gotay said.
Obesity in older women is a factor and increases risk by three fold. Not getting enough physical activity is also a problem.
She added that alcohol is a carcinogen which is directly related to increased risk. “Any amount of alcohol can have an effect on breast tissue,” she said. “It’s small and it’s not like a glass of red wine a day is going to cause breast cancer, but the more you drink, the more your risk goes up.”
Hormone replacement therapy to control menopausal symptoms if used for extended periods and in high doses can also be a factor, Gotay said.
There is not a special diet for breast cancer prevention, but Gotay noted that making sure to consume adequate amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables with less reliance on meat decreases risk.
Tracey Mager, a lifestyle counsellor for the Breast Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment Clinic at the centre will be speaking at an interactive webinar hosted by Powell River Women’s Health Network.
Women are asked to pre-register for the free event which runs from 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Wednesday, May 6, at Evangel Pentecostal Church, 5139 Manson Avenue, by contacting public health 604.485.3310 or emailing [email protected]. An assessment will then be emailed to participants that can be completed online.
Readers interested in learning more can visit the Cancer Prevention Centre’s website.
On June 3 a cervical screening clinic and clinical breast exams provided by female practitioners is being organized.
