Breast cancer
Cancer is the number-two killer of American women, after heart
disease. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), breast
cancer is, by far, the most common of all types of cancer among
American women. One in eight women will get breast cancer over
the course of a lifetime, and now scientists are learning that
those risks may begin as early as childhood. A study of 65,140 women found that those who developed breast cancer were more likely to begin menstruation at age 11 or
younger, more likely to be thin in childhood, and to have had
rapid growth spurts as adolescents.
But new developments in the fight against breast cancer are
bringing the 175,000 American women diagnosed with this disease
each year new hope. Doctors have significantly broadened the
arsenal against breast cancer with new developments in
prevention, such as the use of raloxifene and tamoxifen.
And researchers are beginning to learn that women in their 40s
can benefit from regularly scheduled mammograms
to help with early detection of breast cancer. With more and more
research dedicated to this dreaded disease, the future holds
promise as scientists race to find both cause and cure.
Lung cancer
Despite the prevalence of breast cancer among women, lung
cancer has proven to be more deadly to women.
That's because by the time lung cancer is diagnosed in women, it
is frequently too advanced for surgery to help. Breast cancer, on
the other hand, is frequently detected with mammograms and
self-examination at an early, treatable stage.
With the rate of smoking among women on the decline from 33%
in 1974 to 25% in 1992, largely due to increased
public awareness of smoking's health hazards, hopefully we will
also see a corresponding dip in the number of lung cancer
fatalities among women. But we're not there yet. Researchers at
the American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute and
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that between
1990 and 1996, the incidence and mortality of lung
cancer increased in women, yet dropped for men. But the good news
is that the incidence of lung cancer in adult females showed
evidence of declining between 1994 and 1996, following the male
patterns.
These promising trends, however, may well be short-lived, as
more and more teenage girls are lighting up. Data from the Center
for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System
show that smoking has increased significantly among high school
students, from 27.5% in 1991 to 36.4% in
1997.
Although colon and rectum cancer rank third as leading cancers
among women, the good news is that mortality
from colorectal cancer has fallen 29% for women
over the last 30 years. Early detection and advances in treatment
have helped to save lives.
Cancer-fighting foods
More and more, scientists are finding a compelling link
between diet and cancer risk. That's why the NCI is taking a public health approach to cancer prevention
by calling attention to the following links between diet and
cancer:
- Fats. Diets high in fat have been
linked to increased risk of various cancers,
particularly colon, and possibly pancreas, ovary and endometrium.
The role of fat in breast cancer has been disputed, but it. s
best to err on the side of caution and cut back. If you are like
most Americans, you eat far more fat than your body needs. Dietary
guidelines suggest that only 30% of your daily
calories come from fat, but most of us actually consume 37% of
our calories in fat.
- Fiber. More and more, research
suggests that diets high in fiber can reduce
cancer risks. In particular, plant-based diets low in calories
from fat, high in fiber, and rich in legumes (especially
soybeans), whole grain foods, vegetables, and fruits reduce the
risk of endometrial cancer.
- Vitamins. Scientists believe that the folic acid
contained in multivitamins, widely documented to prevent birth
defects, may also help prevent colon cancer when taken
over the long term. In the Nurses Health Study,
88,756 women who had taken multivitamins for 15 years or more had
markedly lower risks for colon cancer. more so than women who
consumed folic acid through dietary sources alone. Vitamin E has
inhibited tumors in experimental animals and been linked to
reduced risks of oral, stomach, and other cancer in epidemiologic
studies. Selenium also may have a protective effect. In a recent
randomized trial of 30,000 adults in China, the
United States and other countries, researchers found reduced cancer risks
in some countries for patients receiving daily vitamin
supplements, including beta-carotene, vitamin E, and
selenium.
- Vegetables. Numerous studies have found evidence that
eating dark yellow/orange vegetables and fruits such as carrots,
sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe, as well as deep green leafy
vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and collard greens can
reduce the risk of some cancers. The evidence
is particularly strong for lung cancer, even after
taking smoking into account. Though quitting is essential to
reduce your risk of cancer and a host of other diseases, eating a
diet high in fruit and vegetables can help you stay healthy too.
The current dietary recommendation is for five servings of fruit
and vegetables a day, but most Americans consume only about three
and a half servings.
Cancer of the reproductive organs
Cancers of the reproductive organs are prevalent among women,
afflicting approximately 82,000 women a year, yet they
actually occur less frequently than other cancers in women. The
death of comedienne Gilda Radnor brought widespread attention to
the prevalence of ovarian cancer, but gynecologic cancer can
better treated when detected early, through regular health exams
and pap smears.
Still, a recent survey reveals that
nearly 40% of American women a year risk their lives by not
having a Pap smear. 80% of women who die of cervical cancer have
not had a Pap smear in 5 years or more.
