5 Ways to Lower Your Risk of Advanced Breast Cancer

Advanced breast cancer, or metastatic breast cancer, is breast cancer that’s spread outside of the breast tissue. It can enter the nearby lymph nodes, which can cause the cancer to travel throughout your body via your lymphatic system.

Just 6% of women with breast cancer get an initial diagnosis of advanced breast cancer. 

At Progressive Women’s Health OB/GYN in Friendswood, Texas, Dr. Asia Mohsin can help you understand your risk of advanced breast cancer. She provides routine annual exams to help you find the signs of breast cancer early, before it advances. 

If you have risk factors for advanced breast cancer, such as a prior breast cancer diagnosis or family members with breast cancer, Progressive Women’s Health OB/GYN is here to support you. Follow these steps to lower your risk of advanced breast cancer starting today:

1. Stay on top of preventive care

Breast screenings can help you find breast cancer in the early stages, long before it spreads or causes symptoms. Gynecologists suggest that most women start breast cancer screenings between ages 40 and 45. 

Talk to Dr. Mohsin about when to start breast screenings based on your risk factors. Mention any family history of breast cancer that you know of. 

Close observation for women at high risk

If you have a high risk of advanced breast cancer, you may need closer observation than the typical person. Dr. Mohsin might recommend coming in as often as every six months, getting mammograms at a younger age, or getting breast MRI scans.

1. Make physical activity a priority

Moderate to vigorous exercise is an effective preventive measure against many diseases, including breast cancer. Try to spread at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise across your week. That can include walking briskly, jogging, or cycling. 

Do you prefer vigorous exercise? Cancer experts say 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise per week can lower your breast cancer risk.

Whatever activity you choose, try to make it a consistent part of your routine alongside other reasonable, healthy changes, such as eating more fruits and veggies.

1. Quit smoking or never start

A smoking habit increases your risk of many cancers, including breast cancer. If you’ve smoked for years, it’s never too late to stop and lower your breast cancer risk. Exposure to secondhand smoke is also linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. 

1. Limit or avoid alcohol

Even minor alcohol consumption can increase your breast cancer risk, so it’s best to avoid alcohol altogether. That’s especially true if you have other risk factors for advanced breast cancer, such as a family history of breast cancer or a previous breast cancer diagnosis. 

If you decide to drink, most experts recommend that women consume no more than one alcohol-containing drink per day.

1. Manage your weight

Maintaining a healthy weight can help ward off breast cancer and improve the outcome of a diagnosis. Being overweight or obese can cause cancer to grow and spread faster. 

If you’re overweight, losing as little as 10 pounds could reduce your risk of breast cancer by up to 32%. You can do this independently or with extra help from a personalized medical weight loss program at Progressive Women’s Health OB/GYN.

Learn your risk today

Dr. Mohsin can help you stay on track with preventive care against advanced breast cancer. To learn about your risk, request an appointment online or over the phone today.