Breast cancer remains the first cancer in women. 1 in 8 women will suffer from it throughout their lives. Last 2022, more than 35,000 new cases were diagnosed, with sex and age being the most important risk factors for developing breast cancer. It is a cancer associated with middle and adult ages of life with a peak incidence between 45 and 65 years (it is estimated that in Spain 78% of breast cancer cases occur in this age segment in postmenopausal women), although a non-negligible percentage (7%) occurs in women under 40 years of age and around 4% when the age is less than 35 years.
A new phenomenon that is more significant every year is the increase in cancer at an early age and specifically breast cancer in young women. The risk of developing breast cancer varies from person to person and depends on the outcome of a combination of genetic factors and lifestyle factors. It is important to know that only 5-10% of cancers are hereditary, which means that people who carry certain genes have a greater chance of developing cancer.
The increase in breast cancer is not, therefore, due to more women having inherited genetic mutations related to breast cancer. This epidemic of early-onset cancers is, although studies are still needed to confirm it, probably attributable to the Westernization of the current lifestyle, to changes in patterns of exposure to risk factors in youth or early adulthood, and to the increasing More women have unhealthy habits and lifestyles. And this also seems to be the reason why the rare breast cancer in men is also increasing while the age of onset is advancing. Modern life can be dangerous. The level of risk will continue to increase in successive generations, known as the “Birth Cohort Effect.” That is, the year of birth impacts the risk of suffering from cancer.
Despite the magnitude of the figure, it is important to know, on the one hand, that breast cancer currently has a cure rate of more than 85% and, on the other hand, that there is more and more scientific evidence that shows that carrying A healthy lifestyle and complying with the recommendations of the World Foundation for Cancer Research - following a healthy diet, avoiding overweight, not smoking, exercising and avoiding alcohol intake - protects and reduces the risk of suffering from this type. Of cancer. The risk of breast cancer is lower in people with greater adherence to recommendations, that is, with the healthiest lifestyle scores compared to the least healthy.
In Spain, around 12,000 breast cancers could be avoided if healthy habits were incorporated into the daily routine.
The risk of suffering from breast cancer increases with being overweight, the main preventable risk factor for breast cancer. Body mass index (BMI) is an important predictor of cancer risk. Having and maintaining a healthy body weight at different stages of life is one of the most important aspects of health and helps prevent breast cancer. It is especially important not to gain weight during adulthood to reduce the risk of postmenopausal cancer.
Not only is it crucial for preventing the disease, as science suggests that maintaining a healthy body weight can help improve your chances of survival after a diagnosis, and it also suggests that gaining a lot of weight during cancer treatment or even after This can increase both the risk of breast cancer coming back and developing other types of cancer.
The relationship between diet and cancer is unquestionable and according to the World Cancer Research Fund, with a healthy diet, regular physical activity and a healthy weight, one in three common cancers would be avoided. There is no evidence of the beneficial or adverse effects of specific foods or specific nutrients and there is international consensus on the definition of the dietary pattern that protects against breast cancer.
To reduce the risk of cancer in general and breast cancer in particular, it is therefore necessary to recover those habits that science today defends loudly and clearly and eliminate those that it just as forcefully invites to eliminate. It is necessary to increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and the consumption of red meat must be minimized (the WHO is very clear: 200 grams per week). Consumption must be reduced to zero or to the minimum possible of processed meats and, above all, ultra-processed foods (poor in nutrients and rich in calories) and sugary drinks.
With a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish, up to 30% of breast cancers can be avoided. The protective role of this diet - Mediterranean without alcohol - in breast cancer is explained on a biological level by its richness in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, carotenoids and healthy fats. This healthy eating pattern also reduces, after diagnosis, the risk of death from breast cancer.
A diet rich in dietary fiber from whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits is related to a lower risk of suffering from breast cancer while improving the survival of those diagnosed. Also the consumption of healthy fats from mostly plant-based foods, such as olive oil, nuts and avocado, and also from blue fish (omega 3), together with a reduction in fats from red and processed meats, plays a very relevant role in the reduction of risk. In the same way, the risk of having breast cancer is increased by the consumption of a Western diet rich in saturated fats, sugars and refined flours.
The consumption of ultra-processed foods (very poor in nutrients and rich in salt, fat and sugar) is associated with a higher risk of developing cancer in general. Its consumption is also associated with an increase in mortality from cancer in general and especially from breast and ovarian cancer. Specifically, for every 10% more ultra-processed foods in the diet, the incidence of general cancer increases by 2% and mortality by 6%. Mortality than in the case of breast cancer at 16%.
If we focus on the issue of drinks, regarding alcohol consumption, there is strong evidence that alcohol is a direct cause of at least 8 types of cancer, and its relationship is especially marked with postmenopausal cancer. Likewise, the consumption of sugary drinks is positively associated with the risk of cancer in general and breast cancer in particular, probably due to its close relationship with weight gain.
Small changes in eating style can make a big difference in reducing the risk of cancer and many other diseases, as well as contributing to physical and mental well-being. From CRIS against cancer we remember the importance of following a mostly vegetable diet with little or no processing, varied and balanced, which guarantees the consumption of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, fresh if possible, choosing whole grains whenever possible and adding legumes, dried fruits and seeds, to promote health and prevent cancer.
*Article by Emilia Gómez Pardo, scientific advisor of the CRIS Foundation against cancer. PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Master in nutrition and health.
