My StorY.......

Friday, June 30, 2006

First trimester of pregnancy

The first trimester of pregnancy consists of weeks zero (the woman’s last menstrual period before fertilization occurred) to 12. During this time, a woman’s body starts adjusting to the developing embryo and begins to provide it with nourishment. As a result, a range of conditions may occur, most of which will disappear or lessen as the pregnancy progresses. The most common changes and symptoms that may occur during the first trimester include:

- Nausea and vomiting. It is common to experience nausea and vomiting during the first trimester. Although this condition is often referred to as morning sickness, it can occur at any time of day. It is most likely the result of pregnancy hormones relaxing the stomach muscles. Women may benefit from eating frequent, small meals and drinking a lot of liquids. Nausea and vomiting usually disappear after the first trimester. Women who are vomiting a lot, or vomiting with pain or fever should immediately contact their ObGyn (see Morning Sickness).

- Vaginal bleeding. Women may experience metrorrhagia (spotting) early in the pregnancy. In fact, a small amount of bleeding is often one of the fist signs of pregnancy. Light bleeding can occur when the fertilized egg implants in the wall of the uterus. Women experiencing heavy vaginal bleeding, or any bleeding after the first trimester, should contact their obstetrician-gynecologist (ObGyn) immediately.

- Frequent urination. Many woman need to urinate more often during early pregnancy. This is the result of the uterus pressing on the bladder as it grows. This pressure may also cause a woman to leak urine while sneezing, coughing or laughing (incontinence). Women experiencing pain or burning during urination, and those who notice pus or blood in the urine, should contact their ObGyn. This may indicate a urinary tract infection

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Pregnancy Basics

Lasting approximately 40 weeks (280 days), pregnancy is the condition of carrying a developing fetus in the uterus. It is the result of a sperm fertilizing a woman’s egg.
Ovulation is the release of an egg from the ovaries. Normally, women who have not yet undergone menopause will ovulate once a month. The egg then travels through the fallopian tube toward the uterus. When sperm reaches the egg, normally in the fallopian tube, fertilization occurs. The fertilized egg continues to move towards the uterus. Once within the uterus, it implants itself in the uterine wall and begins to develop into an embryo.
Pregnancy can cause a number of noticeable changes in a woman’s body. Among the earliest changes is the absence of menstruation. This is often one of the first signs of pregnancy. During early pregnancy, (the first three months or first trimester), a woman may also notice symptoms such as fatigue, nausea and vomiting (morning sickness), and enlarging or tender breasts. Women who suspect they may be pregnant can verify their condition with a pregnancy test.
As pregnancy progresses to the second (weeks 13 to 24) and third trimesters (week 25 to delivery), a woman experiences a wide variety of additional symptoms, the most prominent being an expanding abdomen. Symptoms also may include leg cramps, muscle soreness, heartburn and hemorrhoids. These potential symptoms and changes occur as a result of pregnancy hormones as well as effects from the continuing fetal growth.
By the end of the first trimester the fetus is about 3 inches (76 millimeters) long and weighs about half an ounce (14 grams). By the end of the third trimester, the average fetus is about 20 inches (508 millimeters) long and weighs about 7 pounds (3 kilograms). Pregnancy ends with labor and delivery.
Physicians usually estimate the time a baby will be born (estimated due date [EDD]) by subtracting three months from the last menstrual period month and adding seven days to the last menstrual period day. This is approximately 40 weeks.
Although pregnancy can cause a number of changes in a woman, there is no way to predict which symptoms a woman will experience. Each pregnancy is different, even subsequent pregnancies in the same woman. Women who experience discomforts associated with pregnancy should discuss them with their obstetrician–gynecologist (ObGyn). Physicians can recommend a number of safe and effective treatment methods for pregnancy–related discomfort. In addition, pregnant women should always discuss prescription and over–the–counter medications (e.g., antacids, decongestants) with their ObGyn before taking them.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Some blood pressure meds may raise diabetes risk

Diuretics and beta-blockers, used to treat hypertension, are associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, new findings indicate.
"The relation between the use of different classes of antihypertensive medications and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes is unclear," Dr. Eric N. Taylor, of Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues write in the medical journal Diabetes Care. "Prior studies have reported conflicting results."
The researchers examined the issue using data from studies that followed three large groups of women and men: the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS).
The analysis included 41,193 older women from NHS I, 14,151 younger women from NHS II, and 19,472 men from HPFS. All of the subjects had high blood pressure, but not diabetes initially, and were followed for 8, 10, and 16 years, respectively.
A total of 3589 new cases of type 2 diabetes were recorded during follow-up.
The risk of developing diabetes in subjects taking thiazide-type diuretics compared with those not taking a thiazide was increased by 20 percent in older women, 45 percent in younger women, and 36 percent in men, after taking account of age, weight, physical activity, and other risk factors.
Compared to patients not taking a beta-blocker, older women taking beta-blockers had a 32 percent higher risk of diabetes, while for men the risk was 20 percent higher.
"Increased surveillance for diabetes in patients treated with these medications may be warranted," the authors conclude.
The use of other common types of blood pressure lowering drugs -- calcium channel blockers and ACE inhibitors -- was not associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, according to the report.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Diabetic women not getting birth control advice

Women with diabetes are less than half as likely as non-diabetic women to receive counseling on birth control from their doctors, a new study shows -- despite the risk to the baby if a woman with diabetes conceives before optimal blood sugar control is achieved. Dr. Eleanor Bimla Schwarz of the University of Pittsburgh and her colleagues explain in the medical journal Obstetrics & Gynecology that an unplanned pregnancy is a particular concern for diabetic women, who face twice the risk of having a child with a birth defect. But if blood sugar is under good control, Schwarz told Reuters Health, there's a much better chance of having a problem-free pregnancy and delivery.
Schwarz and her colleagues analyzed data on 40,304 physician visits by women aged 14 to 44 between 1997 to 2000, collected by the National Ambulatory Medical Care survey, an annual survey of 3,000 office-based US doctors.
Overall, they found, just 4 percent of physician visits by diabetic women included contraceptive counseling. Women with diabetes were 58 percent less likely to discuss contraceptives during physician visits than non-diabetic women.
"I think in all the bustle of taking care of all the other diabetic issues, somehow pregnancy is getting shuffled off the table," Schwarz said. Schwarz urges all diabetic women of reproductive age to set aside one visit with their primary care doctor or gynecologist each year to discuss family planning. "The message for diabetic women is that it's really important to take charge of deciding to get pregnant, and that when pregnancy is desired it should be a carefully planned thing," she said.

Diabetic women not getting birth control advice

Women with diabetes are less than half as likely as non-diabetic women to receive counseling on birth control from their doctors, a new study shows -- despite the risk to the baby if a woman with diabetes conceives before optimal blood sugar control is achieved. Dr. Eleanor Bimla Schwarz of the University of Pittsburgh and her colleagues explain in the medical journal Obstetrics & Gynecology that an unplanned pregnancy is a particular concern for diabetic women, who face twice the risk of having a child with a birth defect. But if blood sugar is under good control, Schwarz told Reuters Health, there's a much better chance of having a problem-free pregnancy and delivery.
Schwarz and her colleagues analyzed data on 40,304 physician visits by women aged 14 to 44 between 1997 to 2000, collected by the National Ambulatory Medical Care survey, an annual survey of 3,000 office-based US doctors.
Overall, they found, just 4 percent of physician visits by diabetic women included contraceptive counseling. Women with diabetes were 58 percent less likely to discuss contraceptives during physician visits than non-diabetic women.
"I think in all the bustle of taking care of all the other diabetic issues, somehow pregnancy is getting shuffled off the table," Schwarz said. Schwarz urges all diabetic women of reproductive age to set aside one visit with their primary care doctor or gynecologist each year to discuss family planning. "The message for diabetic women is that it's really important to take charge of deciding to get pregnant, and that when pregnancy is desired it should be a carefully planned thing," she said.

Friday, June 23, 2006

Emotional health influences control of diabetes

Psychological and social factors can affect management of type 2 diabetes, according to results of a small study.
Type 2 diabetes, by far the most common kind of diabetes, is a condition in which the body cannot properly use the hormone insulin to allow cells to process glucose (blood sugar) for energy. Complications of excess glucose include diseases of the heart, nerves, kidneys and other organs.
Researchers in Japan examined the effect of psychosocial measures, such as coping measures for stress, on glucose control in 256 outpatients with type 2 diabetes. Glycohemoglobin (HbA1c) blood tests performed at the start of the project and six and 12 months later measured the participants' management of glucose.
The scientists found that a person's self-confidence in coping with and guiding his or her destiny (self-efficacy) had an important impact on their ability to manage their glucose levels.
In addition, other factors contributed to their glycohemoglobin scores, including social support, the level of distress related to diabetes, their daily burdens and emotion-focused coping strategies (attempts to manage emotional consequences of stressful events, as opposed to a problem-solving approach).

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Digital organizers may help diabetics with diet

New research suggests that handheld digital organizers could help people with diabetes follow a "low-GI" diet -- a potentially effective but complicated eating plan for controlling blood sugar. The small pilot study found that type 2 diabetics showed better blood sugar control after they were given a personal digital assistant (PDA) equipped to help them follow a low-GI diet.
GI, or glycemic index, refers to the effects a particular food has on blood sugar levels. Foods classified as high-GI, such as white bread and potatoes, tend to trigger a sharp, rapid rise in blood sugar, and some research suggests that limiting high-GI foods could help people manage or even prevent type 2 diabetes.
However, the true usefulness of the low-GI diet is not yet clear, and one of the criticisms of the eating plan is that it's just too complex.
That's where the PDA could come in, said the lead author of the new study, Dr. Yunsheng Ma of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.
The 15 adults in the study received nutritional counseling on low-GI eating and then used PDAs with specialized software to help them keep track of their overall GI for the day. They could look up the GI score for a food before they ate it, and the software kept a log of their meals and GI scores for the previous 30 days.
The focus was on controlling overall GI for the day, rather than "forbidding" white bread or French fries, Ma explained.
After six months, the researchers found, patients' HbA1C -- a measure of long-term blood sugar control -- had dipped by 0.5 percent, on average. Calorie intake, body weight and blood pressure also tended to decline, Ma's team reports in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
While he called the findings "encouraging," Ma said that further studies are needed to prove that the digitally-assisted diet is responsible for the positive changes, and to show that there are long-term benefits for diabetes control.
SOURCE: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online May 17,

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Cutting calories more effective than exercise at slowing aging

Consuming fewer calories may slow down the effects of aging in the body similar to the way it occurs in the heart.
Primary aging refers to the maximal length of a person's life. Secondary aging refers to any disease (e.g., heart disease, cancer) that can prevent a person from reaching their maximum life span. By reducing or eliminating factors that interfere with secondary aging, a person should be able to better reach their projected lifespan. By slowing primary aging, a person can effectively increase the length of their projected lifespan.
Previous research has suggested that calorie restriction helps make the heart more elastic, allowing it to relax more between beats. This effect appears to allow older hearts to beat more like young hearts.
As part of the new study, researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis examined 28 people who had participated in a calorie restricted diet for an average of six years. These participants' daily diet consisted of an average of only 1,800 calories per day, though their diets did include 100 percent of the recommended daily amounts of protein and micronutrients.
A second group of 28 people was composed of sedentary individuals who maintained a typical Western diet (about 2,700 calories per day). A third group of 28 participants ate a Western diet, but also engaged in endurance training.
The researchers found that only those participants who practiced calorie restriction experienced a reduction in concentrations of a thyroid hormone called triiodothyronine (T3). T3 has previously been shown to help control the energy balance and cellular metabolism in the body.
Individuals who practiced calorie restriction also experienced a reduction in an inflammatory molecule called tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF). The researchers believe, based on earlier animal studies, that this combination of lowered T3 levels and reduced inflammation may slow down the aging process by reducing the body's metabolic rate. It may also help reduce any oxidative damage being done to cells and tissues.
The effects of calorie restriction on primary aging had previously been hinted at in animal studies, which showed that calorie restriction can extend the life of rats more than exercise.
"Sedentary rats who ate a standard diet had the shortest average life-spans. Those who exercised by running on a wheel lived longer, but animals on calorie restriction lived even longer," explained John O. Holloszy, M.D., professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, in a 1997 report that appeared in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Young kids with diabetes do well with insulin pump

For preschool-age children with type 1 diabetes, using a continuous subcutaneous pump to deliver insulin is a "safe, effective and superior" alternative to twice-daily insulin injections, according to a new study. Insulin pumps have been used successfully by adults, adolescents and school children, Dr. Tseghai Berhe from Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois and colleagues note in their report, but pumps haven't been used widely for preschool-age children.
This is "presumably because of the fear of hypoglycemia (excessively low blood sugar levels) and concerns that young children are too immature and may meddle with the insulin pump," the team writes in the medical journal Pediatrics.
They reviewed the charts over a two-year period of 33 children with type 1 diabetes who switched to insulin pumps therapy from a twice-daily insulin injection regimen. The kids were between 2 and 7 years old.
Insulin pump therapy led to a "significant improvement" in overall blood sugar control, significantly fewer episodes of excessively low blood sugar levels, and fewer sick days, Berhe told Reuters Health.
The team saw less variability in the young children's blood sugar levels when they were on the insulin pump group, "which could be beneficial since they are at an increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairment from uncontrolled blood sugar levels -- from both low and high blood sugar levels," Berhe explained.
Although significant weight gain has been associated with insulin pump therapy in previous studies, "our patients showed little difference in BMI (body mass index, a measure of weight in relation to height) or amount of carbohydrates consumed," Berhe added.
Additionally, the investigators found no evidence that the young children interfered with the pump system.
The researchers conclude that "preschool-aged children receiving care from an actively involved diabetes team with a supportive family can experience improvements in diabetes control with current insulin pump therapy."
There's a good possibility, Berhe said, that "initiating insulin pump therapy at a very young age may also lead to prevention of long term complications of diabetes."
SOURCE: Pediatrics, June 2006.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Regular exercise OK for kids with type 1 diabetes

Regular physical activity does not appear to put diabetic children at risk of dangerous blood-sugar lows, and may instead aid their long-term blood-sugar control, new research shows.
Because regular exercise boosts fitness and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, it could help cut the risk of long-term complications from type 1 diabetes -- including heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
However, exercise also causes an immediate dip in blood sugar, possibly raising a diabetic child's risk of excessively low blood-sugar levels, which can lead to seizures or loss of consciousness.
The current study included 19,143 type 1 diabetics, ages 3 to 20, seen at clinics in Germany and Austria. On average, patients who said they exercised at least three times per week for 30 minutes at a time had slightly lower hemoglobin A1c levels -- a measure of long-term blood-sugar control -- than their inactive peers. Girls who exercised that often also tended to weigh less than sedentary girls, the study found.
There was no evidence, according to Herbst's team, that frequent exercisers suffered more episodes of severe blood-sugar lows, suggesting that young people with type 1 diabetes can and should be active."Regular physical activity should be recommended in patients with (type 1 diabetes)," the researchers conclude.
If drops in blood sugar are a problem, they point out, patients can be helped to devise a strategy to prevent the problem; this might include trimming their insulin dose before exercising, or eating extra carbohydrates.

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Weight gain has mixed effect on type 1 diabetes

Adding a few pounds may improve control of blood sugar in type 1 diabetes but cause problems with cholesterol and blood pressure, researchers report.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. The body needs insulin to help the cells use glucose (blood sugar) for energy.
Unlike type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disorder, obesity is not a contributing factor in type 1 diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes often have thin or average builds, but those who do become overweight can develop insulin resistance, a trait of type 2 diabetes. The formation of insulin resistance in someone with type 1 diabetes is known as "double diabetes."
European researchers studied 3,250 type 1 patients in the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study and re-examined 1,800 after an average of about seven years. The patients' glycemic control was measured with a blood test called the HbA1c (glycohemoglobin) test.
The scientists found that those who gained at least 11 pounds (5 kilograms) over the years had better glycohemoglobin results than the others but also had worse outcomes in blood pressure, triglycerides, "good" HDL cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol.
The investigators concluded that weight gain in people with type 1 diabetes could slightly improve glucose management but also raised blood pressure and caused unhealthy levels of blood fats (dyslipidemia).
The study was published this month in the journal Diabetic Medicine.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

When a person with type II diabetes develops high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), they may experience symptoms such as excessive thirst, frequent urination, increased appetite, weight loss, blurred vision, fatigue, headaches, occasional muscle cramps and poor wound healing. However, there are a lot of people with type II diabetes who do not show symptoms and don't even know they have it.
In type I diabetes, however, the symptoms occur more abruptly, progressing to a potentially life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is unique to type I diabetes. When insulin is lacking, the glucose is not able to enter the cells and blood sugars rise dramatically. Symptoms are excessive thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. DKA could lead to coma and death if treatment is not given to lower blood sugars.

What are the complications of diabetes?

There are several complications that can arise as a result of poorly controlled diabetes.
1. Macrovascular Disease
• Coronary Artery Disease — Many studies have revealed that coronary artery disease accounts for over 50% of all deaths in patients with diabetes. Some studies have shown that insulin resistance, such as in type II diabetes, may be associated with atherosclerosis.
• Hypertension — is almost twice as common in people with diabetes than nondiabetic individuals.
• Cerebrovascular Disease — affects the vessels leading to the brain. Blockage of one of the major cerebral vessels causes a stroke due to a lack of oxygen to the brain. Cerebrovascular disease seems to develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes. Mortality rates are from three to five times greater than those who do not have diabetes.
• Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) — is very common in people with diabetes. PVD is similar to cardiovascular disease, but it affects the vessels in the lower extremities of the body such as the legs. As the arteries are narrowed, less blood and oxygen is delivered to the extremities. The legs feel achy, fatigued and painful. The feet may become numb and cold, the skin dry and scaly. A person may develop sores that are difficult to heal. A complete obstruction of blood supply can lead to gangrene (tissue death).
2. Retinopathy — occurs when the small vessels that nourish the retina portion of the eye are damaged. This causes a leakage of blood components through the vessel walls. The retina allows for the focusing of images and light.
3. Neuropathy — Diabetic neuropathy is a condition in which nerve fibers are damaged. The cause is related to either insulin deficiency and/or high blood sugars. Diabetic neuropathy can cause disruptions in sensations, muscle activity and the function of internal organs. The person may experience tingling, pain, numbness, and even burning sensations in various parts of the body such as the feet and hands. If no pain is felt, they may burn themselves or develop sores from prolonged pressure. Other areas of the nervous system could be affected that regulate blood pressure, bowel and bladder control and heart rhythm.
4. Nephropathy — Diabetic nephropathy is a type of kidney disease in which kidney function declines as a result of multiple factors, including poorly controlled diabetes and/or blood pressure. The kidneys act as a filter, removing waste products from the blood and eliminating them from the body as urine. When kidney function declines, these wastes become toxic to the body as they build up in the bloodstream. Fluid retention becomes massive when the ability to urinate decreases, causing weight gain, fatigue, shortness of breath and uncontrolled blood pressure. Eventually, the kidneys stop working (kidney failure) and people become dependent on dialysis machines to filter their blood.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes Mellitus is a disease that results in high blood glucose levels due to the body's inability to utilize the hormone insulin properly. Our bodies need glucose in order to fuel our body cells. The brain relies almost exclusively on glucose for energy, which is why our bodies are so sensitive to changes in blood sugar levels.
After a meal, your bloodstream is flooded with glucose from the breakdown of carbohydrates. Your blood sugar begins to rise which triggers the pancreas to secrete insulin. Insulin helps store the glucose in our body cells for energy. A normal blood glucose level is 60-110 mg/dl. Diabetes is diagnosed with a fasting blood glucose level of 126 mg/dl or higher.

What is the difference between Type I and Type II Diabetes?
Type I - typically arises in childhood or early adulthood and occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce a sufficient amount of insulin. Most cases are diagnosed before the age of 30. This population must receive insulin via injection or an insulin pump.

Type II - often referred to as adult onset diabetes, usually occurs after the age of 30*. This type may produce some insulin, however the body's cells have become resistant to insulin and this prevents glucose from entering the cells. Metaphorically speaking, the insulin in a person with type II diabetes is trying to open the doors of the cells, but the cells won't let it in. This is what scientists refer to as "insulin resistant". When cells become insulin resistant, blood glucose and insulin levels rise and eventually lead to many complications. For instance, uncontrolled glucose levels can damage the large blood vessels leading to the heart (coronary heart disease) and the extremities (peripheral vascular disease), the eyes retinopathy, nerves (neuropathy) and the kidneys (nephropathy). Ultimately, the pancreas wears out after years of being in overdrive, pumping out more and more insulin to get through the cell doors. Eventually production of insulin will stop and insulin shots will need to be given.
* Recent studies have shown that type II diabetes is showing up in children and young adults due to the increase in obesity in this age group.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Lower Your Risk

A tremendous amount of promising research is under way to determine the cause of breast cancer and to establish effective ways to prevent it. Still, doctors can't always explain why one woman develops breast cancer and another doesn't.
However, researchers are working to learn how our “external” and “internal” environments may work separately and together to affect our health and possibly the risk of developing breast cancer. “Internal environment” means the things inside our bodies that influence our health, such as genetics (the genes you got from your mother and father), hormones, illnesses, and feelings and thoughts. “External environment” refers to the things outside of our bodies that influence our health, such as air, water, food, danger, music, noise, people, and stress.
Also, the external environment enters our internal environment every day—think of the food you eat, water you drink, air you breathe (including whether you smoke or not), and medicines you take. More subtlely, there's the way you “breathe in” or absorb your environment, such as your home or workplace, and the way you take in energy from the people you spend time with. Some of these factors, such as your genetic makeup and the medicines that you take, have a very direct effect on your breast health. The impact of other, indirect factors, such as air quality, exercise, meditation, and spending time with friends, is less well understood.
Anything that INCREASES your chance of developing breast cancer is called a risk factor. Anything that REDUCES your risk of developing breast cancer is called a protective factor. You can control some risk factors.
For example, if you are overweight, you can seek to lose excess pounds, which may reduce your risk of breast cancer. You can also make informed choices about the medicines you take.
But other factors are beyond your control. For instance, you can't change your gender. Women are much more likely than men to have breast cancer. This is mostly because women have more estrogen and progesterone in their bodies. These hormones stimulate breast cell growth—both normal and abnormal. Also, you can't stop growing older. Aging is the biggest risk factor for breast cancer (besides being a woman).
Risk reduction means making choices to avoid or minimize any possible risk factors that you can. It also means increasing the protective factors in your life so your chances of developing breast cancer are lower.
Although you can control many risk factors, remember that doing so does not guarantee zero risk. It is also important to keep in mind that many women who have a particular risk factor for breast cancer never develop it.
Knowledge is power. Instead of living under the shadow of myths and misunderstandings, KNOW your own realistic level of risk. Then you can talk to your doctor about ways to lessen controllable risk factors and boost your protective factors.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

What Are the Risk Factors for Breast Cancer (VI)?

Antiperspirants: Internet e-mail rumors have suggested that chemicals in underarm antiperspirants are absorbed through the skin, interfere with lymph circulation and cause toxins to build up in the breast, and eventually lead to breast cancer. There is very little experimental or epidemiological evidence to support this rumor. Chemicals in products such as antiperspirants are tested thoroughly to ensure their safety. One small study recently found trace levels of parabens (used as preservatives in antiperspirants), which have weak estrogen-like properties, in a small sample of breast cancer tumors. However, the study did not look at whether parabens caused the tumors. This was a preliminary finding, and more research is needed to determine what effect, if any, parabens may have on breast cancer risk. On the other hand, a recent large epidemiological study found no increase in breast cancer in women who used underarm antiperspirants or shaved their underarms.

Underwire bras: Internet e-mail rumors and at least one book have suggested that bras cause breast cancer by obstructing lymph flow. There is no scientific or clinical basis for that claim.

Environmental pollution: A great deal of research has been reported and more is being done to understand environmental influences on breast cancer risk. The goal is to determine their possible relationships to breast cancer.
Currently, research does not show a clear link between breast cancer risk and exposure to environmental pollutants, such as the pesticide DDE (chemically related to DDT), and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).

Smoking: Most studies have found no link between active cigarette smoking and breast cancer. Though both active smoking and secondhand smoke have been suggested to increase the risk of breast cancer in some studies, the issue remains controversial. The California Environmental Protection Agency recently concluded that secondhand smoke causes breast cancer in younger, mainly premenopausal women. The US Surgeon General is currently reviewing the evidence on this link, and a report is expected in late 2006. Regardless of the possible link between tobacco and breast cancer, not smoking cigarettes and limiting exposure to secondhand smoke is beneficial for a number of health reasons, including a reduced risk of other cancers and heart disease.

Night work: A few recent studies have suggested that women who work at night, for example, nurses on a night shift, have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. However, this increased risk has not yet been proven, and when further studies are conducted, this factor may be found to be unimportant.

Friday, June 09, 2006

What Are the Risk Factors for Breast Cancer (V)?

Obesity and high-fat diets: Obesity (being overweight) has been found to be a breast cancer risk in all studies, especially for women after menopause. Although your ovaries produce most of your estrogen, fat tissue produces a small amount of estrogen. Having more fat tissue can increase your estrogen levels and increase your likelihood of developing breast cancer.
The connection between weight and breast cancer risk is complex, however. For example, risk appears to be increased for women who gained weight as an adult but is not increased among those who have been overweight since childhood. Also, excess fat in the waist area may affect risk more than the same amount of fat in the hips and thighs. Researchers believe that fat cells in various parts of the body have subtle differences in their metabolism that may explain this observation.
Studies of fat in the diet have not clearly shown that this is a breast cancer risk factor. Most studies found that breast cancer is less common in countries where the typical diet is low in total fat, low in polyunsaturated fat, and low in saturated fat.
On the other hand, many studies of women in the United States have not found breast cancer risk to be related to dietary fat intake. Researchers are still not sure how to explain this apparent disagreement. Many scientists note that studies comparing diet and breast cancer risk in different countries are complicated by other differences (such as activity level, intake of other nutrients, genetic factors) that might also alter breast cancer risk.
More research is needed to better understand the effect of the types of fat eaten and body weight on breast cancer risk. But it is clear that calories do count and fat is a major source of these. A diet high in fat has also been shown to influence the risk of developing several other types of cancer, and intake of certain types of fat is clearly related to heart disease risk. We recommend you maintain a healthy weight and limit your intake of red meats, especially those high in fat or processed.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

What Are the Risk Factors for Breast Cancer (IV)?

Previous abnormal breast biopsy: Women whose earlier breast biopsies detected any of these changes have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer (1.5 to 2 times greater than other women):
• fibroadenoma with complex features
• hyperplasia without atypia
• sclerosing adenosis
• multiple papillomas
Atypical hyperplasia (ductal or lobular) increases a woman's breast cancer risk by 4 to 5 times.
Having a biopsy specimen diagnosed as fibrocystic changes without proliferative breast disease or fibroadenoma does not affect breast cancer risk.

Breast-feeding and pregnancy: Some studies suggest that breast-feeding may slightly lower breast cancer risk, especially if breast-feeding is continued for 1.5 to 2 years. Other studies found no impact on breast cancer risk.
The explanation of this may be that both pregnancy and breast-feeding reduce a woman's total number of lifetime menstrual cycles. This may be similar to the reduction of risk due to late menarche (start of menstrual periods) or early menopause, which also decrease the total number of menstrual cycles. One study concluded that having more children and breast-feeding longer could reduce the risk of breast cancer by half.

Menstrual periods: Women who started menstruating at an early age (before age 12) or who went through menopause at a late age (after age 55) have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer.
Diethylstilbestrol (DES): In the 1940s through the 1960s some pregnant women were given diethylstilbestrol because it was thought to lower their chances of losing the baby. Recent studies have shown that these women have a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Monday, June 05, 2006

What Are the Risk Factors for Breast Cancer ( III ) ?

Breast implants: Several studies have found that breast implants do not increase breast cancer risk although silicone breast implants can cause scar tissue to form in the breast. Implants make it harder to see breast tissue on standard mammograms, but additional x-ray pictures called implant displacement views can be used to more completely examine the breast tissue.

Not having children: Women who have had no children or who had their first child after age 30 have a slightly higher breast cancer risk. Having multiple pregnancies and becoming pregnant at an early age reduces breast cancer risk.

Oral contraceptive use: It is still not certain what part oral contraceptives (birth control pills) might play in breast cancer risk. Studies have suggested that women now using oral contraceptives have a slightly greater risk of breast cancer than women who have never used them. Women who stopped using oral contraceptives more than 10 years ago do not appear to have any increased breast cancer risk. When considering using oral contraceptives, women should discuss their other risk factors for breast cancer with their health care team.

Alcohol: Use of alcohol is clearly linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer. The risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. Compared with nondrinkers, women who consume 1 alcoholic drink a day have a very small increase in risk, and those who have 2 to 5 drinks daily have about 1½ times the risk of women who drink no alcohol. Alcohol is also known to increase the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus. The American Cancer Society recommends limiting your consumption of alcohol.