The Villages - October 2017 - 8

Answers
1. True or False: Only women are at risk for
breast cancer.
False. Breast cancer is 100 times less common among
men, but they still have a 1 in 1,000 chance of getting it,
according to the American Cancer Society. Men have breast
tissue, and if breast cancer runs in their family, they should
be screened for genetic underlying hereditary breast
cancer syndrome, Dr. Advani said.
2. At what age should women start having
conversations with their physicians about receiving
yearly mammograms?
a. There are exceptions, but the general recommendation
is to have a detailed discussion with your physician starting
at age 40, Dr. Advani said. "Prior to the age of 40, the
breasts are quite dense. So it obscures the sensitivity of the
mammogram."
3. True or False: Genetic testing can help determine
whether a patient needs chemotherapy.
True. "The whole field is moving toward a more
individualized, targeted approach directed by genetic
testing," Dr. Advani said. "Oftentimes now, even in the
post-operative chemotherapy setting, we use certain
genetic tools to help us guide which patient really needs
chemotherapy. It has refined the field a little bit."

Dr. Advani speaking
with a patient

8

OCTOBER 2017

4. How often should women self-check their breasts
for any abnormalities?
B. Women should conduct self-checks on themselves
once every month. The process is simple and can be done
quickly in the shower or when lying flat on your back. Use
your hand to feel around for lumps, bumps or large masses.
Don't forget to check the areas surrounding your breasts.
"(A self-check) detects any lumps in their breasts that
they would have otherwise missed, because they don't see
physicians that often," Dr. Advani said. "You want to do self
checks to check for any abnormalities, like a lump, nipple
discharge or inversion of the nipple."
5. True or False: Most people survive breast cancer.
True. Women have a 97 percent chance of surviving
breast cancer, according to the ACS. "There are advances
that have been made in imaging techniques," Dr. Advani
said. "We are getting more sophisticated with our imaging,
so it's allowing for earlier detection. More importantly,
patients are receiving care in a timely manner. They are
being referred to appropriate breast cancer surgeons
and oncologists in a timely manner by their primary care
physicians. So I think all of those together have accounted
for improved survival."
6. Which lifestyle-related factor might increase your
risk for breast cancer?
C. Gaining substantial weight or being obese after
menopause increases your risk for breast cancer because
fatty tissues have been linked to raising estrogen levels.
"Obesity has been implicated to increase the risk of
certain kinds of breast cancers, because of the estrogen,"
Dr. Advani said. "Some estrogen is produced in the ovary
and there is some that is produced in the fatty tissue. The
estrogen can be implicative in certain forms of breast
cancer, like the hormone receptor positive breast cancer."
As for alcohol, research has shown that women who
have two to five alcoholic drinks daily have a higher risk
of breast cancer than women who have only one drink a
day or not at all, according to the ACS. Breast cancer risk
increases with the amount of alcohol consumed.
It's not clear how or why alcohol increases the risk, or
which women are most likely to be affected. But limiting
alcohol especially is important for women who have other
risk factors for breast cancer, such as family history.



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - October 2017

Contents
The Villages - October 2017 - Cover1
The Villages - October 2017 - Contents
The Villages - October 2017 - 1
The Villages - October 2017 - 2
The Villages - October 2017 - 3
The Villages - October 2017 - 4
The Villages - October 2017 - 5
The Villages - October 2017 - 6
The Villages - October 2017 - 7
The Villages - October 2017 - 8
The Villages - October 2017 - 9
The Villages - October 2017 - 10
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The Villages - October 2017 - 12
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