Breast cancer is one of the biggest concerns in today’s world. More and more women are getting vulnerable to this fatal disease each year around the world. The United States is known to be the nation with the highest number of breast cancer patients. Every year, approximately 2 lakh females are diagnosed with breast cancer in the US, and the figure is still increasing.
Increase in Second Breast Cancer
As the medical science has come a long way, cancer treatment methods have also got better now. According to cancer specialists, it has reduced the number of deaths significantly and perked up the five-year survival rate among females having primary breast cancer. About 90% breast cancer patients are known to survive 5 years or even more these days. But at the same time, the chance of developing a second breast cancer is also increasing amongst them.
Lifestyle Factors to Raise the Risk
A second breast cancer refers to the growth and development of abnormal cells or cancer in another breast of a woman who had already suffered from a breast cancer and survived it successfully. Experts say that it is not absolutely unusual for breast cancer survivors to develop the same in the opposite breast. Rather, there is always a 1-2% chance of developing a second breast cancer among them. But this small chance turns into a large potential when several lifestyle factors are added to it. Obese people have a greater chance of developing second breast cancer. Women who have habits of smoking cigarette and drinking alcohol regularly are also more susceptible to this deadly situation. Hence, a breast cancer survivor is always advised to take control of their lifestyle by a cancer specialist in order to ensure a healthier life.
Study Says It All
Recently, an initiative was taken by a group of scientists to conduct a study on a number of breast cancer patients. The aim of the researchers, working in the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, was to find out how much responsible lifestyle factors are in increasing second breast cancer. A total of 1091 females were selected for the study. Among them, 726 were diagnosed with a primary breast cancer, while the rest were found to be primary breast cancer survivors having developed a second breast cancer. All of them were interviewed about their medical history, present health issues, lifestyles, and so on. The result of the study was made public through the ‘Journal of Clinical Oncology’, and it reveals the following things:
1. Among all lifestyle factors, drinking is the worst one to trigger a second breast cancer. Seven drinks a week makes a breast cancer survivor up to 70% more prone to the condition.
2. Excessive weight gain can also lead a woman to the similar situation. A Body Mass Index or BMI of 30 kg/m2 indicates almost 50% more probability of developing second breast cancer.
3. A habit of smoking is also dangerous for breast cancer survivors. It increases the chance of second breast cancer almost twice.
The above given information will certainly be helpful for people who are trying to know more about second breast cancer.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) has been a pioneer in providing best cancer treatment as well as follow up to patients suffering from various cancer types. With branches in Newnan, Philadelphia, Chicago, Tulsa etc., CTCA aims at providing the best treatment options to cancer patients.