Keep active to reduce your risk of breast cancer
Publication Date:13/05/2008
Lots of the things that cause breast cancer are outside our control. So it's good to hear about things we can do to reduce our chances of getting this common cancer. Regular exercise, for women of all ages, seems to be the key.
What do we know already?
Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer affecting women. Many things affect a woman's risk of getting breast cancer at some point in her life. These include things you can't do much about, like the genes you inherit from your parents, the age you started your periods, and whether you have children at a young age.
But researchers have found that there are some things women can do that reduce their risk. One is to keep a healthy weight and not to drink too much alcohol. Another is to keep active. Now two new studies have shown how exercise throughout your life can reduce your risk of breast cancer.
What do the new studies say?
One study looked at younger women. It found that girls and young women who did regular physical activity from the age of 12 to 35 had a much lower risk of getting early breast cancer, the type that happens before the menopause. Although most cancers happen to older people, 1 in 4 breast cancers happen to women before they reach the menopause.
The second study summarised the results from 62 studies looking at the effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk, at any time of life. The summary showed that women who did the most physical activity, especially playing sports or other types of exercise, had the lowest risk of breast cancer. Women who continued to exercise after the menopause, and women who were a healthy weight, got the most benefit.
Tell me more about the studies' findings
Both of these studies found exercise reduced risk by about a quarter. That's quite a lot, when you consider that breast cancer is quite a common type of cancer.
So how much exercise do you need to do, and what type is best? This is what these two studies show us:
- All types of physical activity reduce breast cancer risk, and the more you do, the better.
- Moderate activity, for example, brisk walking, works almost as well as vigorous activity, such as running or swimming.
- Recreational physical activity, such as playing sports or taking an exercise class, works slightly better than everyday activities, such as housework.
- Exercise helps prevent breast cancer all through your life, from childhood to the menopause and beyond.
Where does the study come from?
The first study was carried out by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and Harvard University in the US. It was published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute in the US. The second study was carried out by researchers at the Division of Population Health and Information in Alberta, Canada. It was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, owned by the British Medical Association.
What does this mean for me?
Keeping active is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of many types of illness, including cancers and heart disease. This study gives you even more reason to make physical activity an important part of your life.
What should I do now?
Time to dig out your trainers and get active! If you haven't exercised for a long time or you have a medical condition, you may need to check with your doctor about what type of exercise is safe for you.
From:
Maruit SS, Willett WC, Feskanich D, et al. A prospective study of age-specific physical activity and premenopausal breast cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Published online May 2008.
Friedenreich CM, Cust AE. Physical activity and breast cancer risk: impact of timing, type and dose of activity and population subgroup effects. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Published online May 2008.
To find out more, read our information about breast cancer.
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© BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2007. All rights reserved
This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.
