Women and Cancer

More than 10 million Americans who have had cancer are alive today. Many survivors lead long and productive lives.

Breast cancer, for example, is the prime mortality risk for women between 35 and 54. Silent killers—like lung (the leading cause of cancer mortality for both men and women) and ovarian cancer—have high death rates simply because they’re hard to diagnose. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that tobacco use accounted for more than 170,000 cancer deaths last year. But lifestyle changes can help reduce the risk of developing several cancers.

Make Healthy Choices

Approximately one-third of the 559,650 cancer deaths projected for Americans in 2007 might have been avoided, ACS suggests, by simple lifestyle changes. Besides the risk from tobacco (secondhand smoke or otherwise), some critical factors in cancer mortality—that are within our control—include

• overweight and obesity among children and adults (the Nurses’ Health Study recently linked postmenopausal weight gain to increased breast cancer risk)
• sedentary lifestyle (physical activity lowers the risk for breast, colon, and possibly endometrial cancers)
• poor nutrition (eating more fruits and vegetables lowers the risk for colorectal, esophagus, lung, mouth and pharynx, and stomach cancers)
• alcohol use (linked to breast, colon, and other cancers)
• lack of regular screenings, particularly for breast, cervical, colorectal, and skin cancers.

While harder to prove, persistent and toxic herbicides and pesticides are increasingly linked to cancer incidences and other health problems, so choose certified organic foods when possible. Environmental toxins (heavy metals, nitrates, and PCBs to name a few) are other risk factors that may be at least partially controlled by filtering your air and water.

Synthetic hormone use (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) carries established cancer and other health risks. Women experiencing unpleasant menopausal symptoms may be wise to try natural solutions. Finally, breastfeeding reduces your risk for both breast and ovarian cancer, while fostering faster postnatal weight loss.

Add Nutrition Protection

Science is only beginning to identify substances in foods that can help fight cancer. The National Cancer Institute recommends eating between five and nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily to prevent multiple types of cancers. The Mediterranean diet—rich in fruits and vegetables, omega-3-rich seafood, and olive oil—has been linked to a lower incidence of cancer. Polyphenols in green tea have been found protective “in varying degrees” against breast and lung cancers.

Here are some more ways to protect against three cancers, all of which may be fueled by estrogen.

1. Breast cancer. Since early detection is crucial, examine your breasts/underarms at least once monthly and get regular screenings. “Poor diet also plays a starring role in the development of breast cancer,” adds nutrition expert Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe. Abundant intake of fresh fruits and veggies, fiber-rich whole grains, and healthy fats from cold-water fish and olive oil is important. The American Institute for Cancer Research finds a small, but significant, protective effect for soy among women who have never had breast cancer.

   Some supplements appear helpful as well, according to Vanderhaeghe. Start with a multivitamin/mineral formula. Lycopene (in cooked tomatoes and supplements) plus indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane (both in cruciferous veggies such as broccoli and cabbage and in supplements) help reduce the risk of breast cancer.

2. Lung cancer. With a five-year survival rate of only 15 percent, lung cancer kills more women than breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers combined. Besides avoiding smoke and asbestos, test your home for radon, the odorless gas that’s the second leading cause of this cancer.

   Carotenoids and flavonoids in brightly colored fruits and vegetables help protect against the effects of tobacco. Enjoy flaxseed, soy, and other legumes rich in phytoestrogens, as well as cruciferous veggies and selenium in Brazil nuts, brewer’s yeast, seafood, and sunflower seeds.

3. Ovarian cancer. Pelvic exams can detect ovarian cysts, common with estrogen dominance, but after menopause, the risk of malignancy increases. Another silent killer, ovarian cancer strikes most often between the ages of 50 and 70 with an almost 60 percent mortality rate.

   Symptoms are vague, often mimicking other diseases: mild abdominal discomfort, frequent need to urinate, fullness after eating a light meal, indigestion, low back pain, vaginal discharge, and (when more advanced) abnormal bleeding, painful intercourse, nausea, and vomiting. While a blood test, pelvic exam, and transvaginal ultrasound are advised, they may not distinguish cancer from endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Surgery is the only definitive way to detect ovarian cancer.

   Exercising regularly helps lower cancer risk. Research suggests that drinking green and black teas may also protect against ovarian cancer.