The Booby Wall

Rethink, a breast cancer charity foundation, has launched a campaign to try to educate women about breast cancer. Here's the full article: http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSPAR07287320080110?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

As part of Rethink's "touch, look, check" (TLC) early detection program, women are being asked to do just that. They are taught how to check their breasts for abnormalities, and asked to take a photo of it (could be fully clothed, in a bra, or topless) and upload them at www.boobywall.ca. I haven't gone on the website to check it out, and I don't plan to. I'm in full support of spreading the news about breast cancer and educating people on how to do self-examinations, but what is the purpose of posting the pictures online? I just don't see how exploiting women is going to benefit anyone or get the word out.

Since we're on the topic, I attended a breast cancer awareness seminar a couple of months ago. Here are some tips for early detection and prevention:

• Know your breasts - how they feel and how they look. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Many breast lumps are found by women themselves.
• See your doctor for a clinical breast exam.
• Don’t take combined hormonal therapy (estrogen + progesterone).
• Exercise daily, eat a healthy low fat diet, limit alcohol intake.

Some risk factors:

• Age: risk increases with age. 2 of 3 women with invasive breast cancer are 55 when diagnosed.
• Genes: 5–10% of breast cancers are due to changes in genes. Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have an 80% chance of developing breast cancer.
• Family History: risk increases if a close family relative is diagnosed with breast cancer. A mother, sister or daughter doubles a women’s risk. However, 70–80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history.
• Personal History: a person with cancer in one breast has a higher chance of developing it in the other breast.
• Race: white women are more likely to develop breast cancer, but African American women are more likely to die of the disease. Asian, Hispanic and American Indians have a lower risk of developing breast cancer.
• Menstrual Periods: periods before age 12 and/or menopause after age 55 increases risk slightly.
• Previous breast radiation therapy.
• Treatment with DES (diethylstilbestrol). Women and their daughters (exposed to DES while in the womb) are at slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer.
• Not having children or having the first child after 30. Being pregnant more than once at an early age reduces risk.
• Birth Control Pills: role is still unclear, but women using birth control pills may be at a higher risk. Those that stopped taking the pill over 10 years ago have reduced risk.
• Post Menopausal Hormonal Therapy (PHT): Combined Hormonal Therapy (estrogen + progesterone) - long term use (several years or more) does increase the risk of breast cancer and may increase the risk of dying from the disease. 5 years after stopping PHT the risk drops back to normal. Estrogen Replacement Therapy - use of estrogen alone does not seem to increase the risk of breast cancer. Long term use (> 10 years) does increase risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
• Breast feeding and pregnancy: breast feeding may slightly reduce risk if done for 1½ to 2 years. Pregnancy may also reduce risk (due to reduced number of menstrual cycles).
• Alcohol: 1 drink a day = slightly increased risk. 2–5 drinks a day = 1½ increase risk compared to women that don’t drink at all.
• Obesity: increased risk if weight gained during adulthood or after menopause and is located in the waist area. Studies of fat in the diet have yielded conflicting results.
• Exercise: risk is reduced with exercise. Recommend 45-60 minutes 5 days or more a week.

Spread the word! Every female should be routinely (i.e., monthly) doing a self-exam. Early detection is a major factor to an increased survival rate. As for Rethink, while I commend them on their cause, I cannot condone the way they are going about to achieving their objective.