Survivors of breast cancer are at even greater risk of developing a second breast cancer. But now a new study from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center finds there are certain lifestyle changes that can significantly lower that risk.
Kellie Baker was only 36 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
"There's no history at all of breast cancer in my family and it was a shock," she said.
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She underwent five rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and a double mastectomy, but since the cancer had already spread to her lymph nodes, her chance of recurrence is high.
"A lot of it is, that if I could do anything to keep it from coming back, like you said, you feel very young, like you're not anywhere near ready for things to be done," said Baker.
New research shows there are three things Baker and other breast cancer survivors can do: maintain a normal weight, limit alcohol use and don't smoke. Otherwise, the odds aren't in their favor.
"What we found is that women who were obese had a 50 percent greater risk of developing a second breast cancer, women who drank one or more alcoholic beverages a day had a 90 percent increased risk and women who were current smokers had a 120 percent increased risk of a second breast cancer," said Dr. Christopher Li, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Li says alcohol use and obesity are both are known to increase estrogen levels.
"With respect to smoking, it is somewhat surprising that we found such a strong relationship," said Li.
That's because studies haven't show a connection between smoking and a first breast cancer, but for breast cancer survivors, the link is clear.
"Of the three risk factors, smoking was actually the strongest of the three," said Li.
More research is needed to find out why. The study involved almost 1,200 breast cancer survivors from Seattle/ Puget Sound region, one third of whom developed a second breast cancer.
The study appears in the current online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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