Breast Cancer Awareness Month
With one in two people being diagnosed with Cancer at some point in their lives it's a cause that affects everyone. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and can affect both men and women. However, over a quarter of breast cancer cases are preventable and studies have shown that by making changes to our lifestyles we can reduce our chances of getting cancer significantly, which is why we have partnered with Breast Cancer UK to share their message on the little things we can do.

Below our 5 tips on what to look out for and how was can reduce our risk with scientific research to back the suggestions.
1. Check our breasts
Healthy breasts come in all shapes, sizes, and densities.
But it’s important to recognise when something’s not right. Checking your breasts for any unusual changes can help discover breast cancer early.
- Check at the same time every month (avoiding periods).
- Look for changes in your breasts - are they swollen, inflamed, dimpled, has a rash appeared?
- Look for changes in your nipple - are they sunken, crusty, producing discharge?
- Look for changes you can feel, are there fixed or moving lumps?
- Walk your fingertips in a spiral around the whole of your breast and under your
armpits to check for changes.
Please do not forget that nine out of ten lumps are completely harmless but if you find one please get it checked.
2. Reduce the amount of alcohol
you drink
Why are we being recommended to do this?
The most well established dietary risk factor for
breast cancer is alcohol. Scientific evidence
suggests a strong relationship between alcohol
and breast cancer (5, 6), especially oestrogen
receptor positive breast cancer (7). There is
evidence that even very low alcohol intake (less
than one glass per day) can increase your risk of
breast cancer (8).
Drinking alcohol increases levels of serum
oestrogens, which are associated with increased
breast cancer risk (9). Alcohol
metabolism (breakdown in the body) produces
harmful metabolic products - acetaldehyde and
“reactive oxygen species” - which can damage
cells. They are carcinogenic (cancer causing) and
can accumulate within breast tissue (10).
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3. Get more exercise
Why are we being recommended to do this?
The effect exercise has on reducing your risk of
breast cancer is considerable, especially for postmenopausal women. The more exercise, the
greater the benefit; although research suggests
increasing physical activity of any kind is
beneficial (11). Moderate exercise (150 minutes
per week) is estimated to reduce breast cancer
risk in post-menopausal women by 20-30% (12).
Exercise helps to reduce body fat. This will reduce
levels of oestrogen and other hormones which fat
cells release into the bloodstream (these
hormones can increase breast cancer risk; 13).
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4. Improve your diet
Why are we being recommended to do this?
There is strong evidence that excess weight is a
risk factor for post-menopausal breast cancer (15)
and that high vegetable and fruit intake lowers
risk (16). Fat cells are the main source of
oestrogen for post-menopausal women, and high
levels of circulating oestrogen are known to
increase breast cancer risk (see box on page 1). A
“Mediterranean style diet” is one example of a
healthy diet that has been shown to reduce the
risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women
(17, 18). It is mainly based on vegetables, fruits,
nuts, beans, cereal grains, olive oil and fish.
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5. Reduce your exposure to
chemicals that may be harmful
Why are we being recommended to do this?
We are exposed to numerous synthetic,
potentially harmful chemicals on a daily basis,
from the household cleaners we use to the food
we eat. Increasing exposure to chemicals that
have the ability to interfere with our hormones
(known as endocrine disrupting chemicals or
EDCs) may be contributing to the increase in
breast cancer. Although more research is needed
to determine whether EDCs increase breast
cancer risk, Breast Cancer UK advocate a
precautionary approach which means avoiding
chemicals that are suspected of being harmful.
There are around 143, 000 registered substances
on the market in the EU (19). The majority of
these have not been tested for their hormone
disrupting properties (20). There are over 1300
known or suspected EDCs (21). Some (e.g.
polychlorinated biphenyls and the insecticide DDT
- now banned) are known to increase breast
cancer risk; others (e.g. bisphenol A, parabens and
phthalates) are suspected of doing so (22).
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Would you like to discover more preventative measures we can take? If so, please click here to discover Breast Cancer UK's prevention hub.
Click here to discover the scientific research behind the above suggestions.