Breast Cancer: Lifestyle Determines Risk

A recent study conducted by Oxford University further clarifies that although there are certain genetic risk variants that elevate a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer, lifestyle factors play a much bigger role (Reuters).

For the study 10,196 women without breast cancer and 7,160 women with the disease were all questioned about certain lifestyle factors.  Additionally, all of the participants gave blood samples to the research team.

The researchers studied the risk variants in all of the women, and determined that these genetic factors only explain about 8% of the risk of getting breast cancer.  Although the genetic risk variants do add to the risk of getting the disease, they do not multiply it, as do lifestyle factors, such as obesity and alcohol consumption.

The team also studied the environmental risk factors at play in the participants, such as the age of puberty onset, obesity, alcohol consumption, number of births, breastfeeding, age at menopause, and the use of hormone replacement therapy. 

In a phone interview, Ruth Travis of Oxford’s cancer epidemiology unit emphasized that women can significantly reduce their breast cancer risk by incorporating a healthier lifestyle, such as controlling their weight and limiting alcohol consumption.  She went on to say, “This is reassuring because . . . it means that whatever you inherit in terms of common gene variants, the effect of things such as maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake and being careful about HRT are still really important for reducing breast cancer risk.”

According to Reuters, a study in the US last year garnered similar results; researchers concluded that 40% of all breast cancer cases could be eliminated if women controlled their weight, limited alcohol consumption, breastfed their babies and exercised more.

For a complete list of breast cancer risks, both those that can be controlled and those that cannot, visit the American Cancer Society website (americancancersociety.org).