Reduce the risk
There is no vaccine to prevent breast cancer.
This is because there is no known cause for the disease, contrary to what happens, for example, in measles and flu, which are infections by microorganisms.
In breast cancer, all we know is that there are risk factors that increase the chance of disease.
Despite this, prevention is possible. The chance of cancer will never be zero, but it can be substantially reduced.
In a woman with an average chance of breast cancer, prevention happens by identifying then avoiding the risk factors
that make her more susceptible to disease.
In a woman with an average chance of breast cancer, prevention passes by identifying (and then avoiding) risk factors making her more susceptible to disease. Although many of these risks have limited influence on the chance of breast cancer, they add up through life and lead to disease after menopause.
A woman wanting to reduce her risk of breast cancer would want to:
- Limit her alcohol consumption,
- Keep a healthy weight,
- Have a balanced diet, concerning both calories and proteins,
- Avoid hormonal replacement therapies (always follow the doctors’ advice),
- Exercise.
Early detection , especially among women at higher risk, is another crucial measure to prevent the disease
