Breast Health 101

expert advice from Dr. Nitin Rohatgi, M.D.

Breast cancer now strikes 1 in 8 women (90% without any family history), and while healthy habits are no guarantee against the disease, research suggests that general health habits play a huge role in helping to reduce the risk. “The best way to fight breast cancer is with knowledge, not fear,” says Dr. Nitin Rohatgi, M.D., a medical oncologist with Sutter Medical Group in Sacramento, who specializes in breast cancer. Here he offers five simple tips to help women stay healthy:

Get a Yearly Mammogram
While it’s true that mammograms won’t reduce the risk of breast cancer, they can help detect it in its early stages. And new technology is making this test even better. Faster and more accurate digital imaging does away with bulky film X-rays and allows images to be viewed by multiple users at the same time on different computers.

Get a Clinical Breast Exam
Women should visit their doctors for a yearly breast exam if they are 40 or older, and every three years between the ages of 20 to 39. Self-exams should be performed monthly. Get a free e-reminder each month when you sign up at www.KomenSacramento.org/breast_health. You can sign up, just as fast, for free annual mammogram reminders too.

Keep Weight in Check
Avoid being overweight, especially after menopause. Maintaining a healthy weight throughout life can also reduce the risk of many other conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.

Limit Alcohol and Don’t Smoke
Drink in moderation – studies suggest that drinking more than two alcoholic drinks a day may increase breast-cancer risk by 25 percent. And smoking may increase the risk for breast cancer and other illnesses, like heart disease.

Get Moving
Among its many benefits, exercise has been shown to reduce breast cancer risk. Nobody knows exactly why, but it may be due to the effects of activity on hormones, energy balance and the immune system.

“At any age, it pays to ‘put up your dukes’ against this dreaded disease," says Dr. Rohatgi, who encourages women to be proactive in caring for themselves and their health. "Every woman should have regular breast exams and mammograms... If found early, breast cancer can usually be treated and cured.”