Freeman Medical Focus: Breast Cancer Risk
By: Gretchen Bolander
Updated: October 26, 2012
Freeman Oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Kent says, "For most menopausal women, body mass index does play a role because fatty tissur is where a majority of a woman's estrogen comes from after menopause."
Befor menopause, Dr. Elizabeth Kent says it's less about the bmi an more important to get regular exercise. You also have control over how much alcohol you drink.
Dr. Kent says, "One drink or more per day- the number of drinks a day the risk of breast cancer goes up per number of drinks per day."
Hormone replacement therapy can increase your risk.
Dr. Kent says, "Keep it brief, we know four years or less is pretty safe but longer than that for many women does put them at a higher risk of developing breast cancer."
When you have your first child can also play a role. And Kent recommends finding out as many details as possible about family member who have had breast cancer to better understand your own potential risk.
