There is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, but the things you do — or don't do — can dramatically reduce the risk. Research across several fields indicates that women (and men) have at least some degree of control over their chances of facing the disease, based on lifestyle choices.
An analysis of nearly 50 studies shows a connection between breastfeeding and reduced breast cancer rates, according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Women who breastfeed for one year are significantly less likely to get breast cancer than those who do not. After two years, the benefit doubles. Women who breastfed for more than two years over their lifetime get the most benefit.
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The link between smoking and increased rates of breast cancer, particularly in younger, premenopausal women, includes secondhand smoke, according to Breastcancer.org. Smoking can also create serious complications with common breast cancer treatments such as radiation and hormone therapy.
Several studies show a definitive link between regular physical activity and lower breast cancer rates. In fact, active women who exercise regularly — particularly after menopause — might enjoy a 10% to 20% lower risk than women who are sedentary.
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Breast cancer is just one of many cancers that pose a greater risk to obese people, according to the National Cancer Institute. This is especially true for high-weight, postmenopausal women, who experience a 20% to 40% increase in breast cancer rates.
The combination of estrogen plus progestin as menopausal hormone therapy increases the risk of breast cancer, according to the National Women's Health Network. Studies show dramatically lower rates of breast cancer as the therapy is used less.
A single alcoholic drink per day increases the risk of breast cancer, according to a report by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund. The report found that the risk increased for women before and after menopause, even when the drink was smaller than a normal serving size.
There might be a link between pollution and breast cancer, according to a study in the journal Breast Cancer Research. Women in polluted urban areas are more likely to have higher breast density, which makes them more prone to breast cancer.
A healthy diet is likely to reduce the risk of first-time and recurring breast cancer, according to Breastcancer.org. Although no foods or supplements are linked directly to the cancer, a low-fat, mostly plant-based diet has been shown to reduce risk.
Birth control pills with high doses of estrogen can increase the risk for breast cancer in some women, according to the National Cancer Institute.
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Children and young women exposed to significant radiation early in life, especially in the chest, experience rates of breast cancer three to seven times higher than those who are not, according to Komen. But these exposures are often for Hodgkin's disease treatment, which, Komen points out, is still beneficial even though it increases the risk of breast cancer later in life.
"Sitting is the new smoking" is now a cliché, but research from the American Cancer Society reveals that women who spend six or more hours sitting each day are 10% more likely to get a particularly invasive kind of breast cancer than women who sit for three hours or less.
