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Breast Cancer and the Menopause

breast cancer and the menopause

The menopause is a natural progression for every woman, and is not in any way directly related to developing breast cancer. The only link between the menopause and breast cancer is due to the medical treatments that women may use to manage their menopause symptoms, which can present the risk for developing breast cancer as a possible side effect of the treatment.

What are the Risks for Breast Cancer in the Menopause?

The majority of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer, tend to be at the age of 40 or above, and most tend to be in their 60’s. It is widely reported that women are prone to developing breast cancer if it has occurred in their family history, which is partially true.

There are so many factors that come into it; emotional health, the type of food the body is exposed to, chosen lifestyle, living environment, unreleased trauma etc. which are all sensory experiences that talk to our body at a cellular level, and fully encode so much information in the DNA that is combined together as our ‘genetic blueprint’.

This is why it is often suggested that we are more prone to cancer in our later years, as it takes takes years for tumours to become visible. It is just a coincidence that menopause happens later in life too. Other reasons for breast cancer in the menopause is down to the removal of breast tissue and also certain types of benign disease, such as atypical hyperplasia.

 Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase the Risk of Breast Cancer?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) provides a combination of replacement oestrogen and progesterone. It is a drug, a very harsh and toxic drug, that alters the natural hormonal state within the body. Simply put, the longer a woman exposes herself to HRT, the more prone she could be to developing breast cancer.

On average a woman’s body prepares for menopause for five years, and if it is managed with HRT for this long period of time, the greater the risk. It also may be given to postmenopausal women who have menopausal symptoms. It is unclear if HRT with oestrogen alone, which is sometimes prescribed for women who have had a hysterectomy, increases the risk of breast cancer.

What can I do to prevent Breast cancer?

The good news is, there are many things a woman can do to prevent breast cancer:

  • Consume wholesome foods
  • Reduce your intake of acidic foods such as meat, dairy and eggs
  • Avoid/severely limit smoking and secondary smoke
  • Keep your body hydrated
  • Avoid any hormone therapies that are said to be related to trigger breast cancer
  • Meditation to manage stress levels
  • Exercise to lower risks of cancer

How Is Breast Cancer Detected and Diagnosed?

Ideally, if breast cancer is detected early, whilst it is still inside the breast tissue, this will make it easier to treat and overcome. This is why self-examinations are very important to practice, just make sure that your technique has been approved by a doctor and if you do find any growth abnormalities, please share this with your doctor.

It is common practice to also have routine mammograms and MRI scans, starting from the age of 40, although some health professionals now suggest as early as age 20 -30 but this really does depend on your current state of health in general.

To find out if you are at increased risk for breast cancer, consult your doctor.

 

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Disclaimer:

Become™️ has a wonderful team of experts who all helped in the writing of this content. The opinions expressed within this page are the opinions of many people we asked, and from information we researched online. Become™️ is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this page. All information is provided on an as-is basis.

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