Dr. Couch
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have refined a panel of genes they believe play a role in the development of breast cancer. The researchers [...]
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Recent large-scale genomic analyses have uncovered dozens of common genetic variants that are associated with breast cancer. Each variant, however, contributes only a tiny amount to a person’s overall risk of developing the disease. A Mayo Clinic-led team of international researchers has now combined 77 of these common genetic variants into a single risk factor that can be used to improve the identification of women with an elevated risk of breast cancer. This factor, known as a polygenic risk score, was built from the genetic data of more than 67,000 women. The results of the research are published April 9, 2015, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI). A companion study has extended this finding to show that this measure of genetic variation can be combined with traditional predictors of breast cancer risk such as breast density and family history to improve personalized estimates of breast cancer risk. Those findings appeared in JNCI last month. MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Fergus Couch are in the downloads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AidVeXTZA8s&feature=youtu.be
Journalists: Mayo Clinic breast cancer experts are available to discuss risk factors, screening and treatments. Read expert alert: English and Spanish.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States, with more than 238,000 new diagnoses estimated this year. Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., a specialist in the Mayo Clinic Breast Clinic, says women with a family history of breast cancer are unfortunately at a higher risk of developing the disease but adds, there are some lifestyle changes they can make to lower overall risk. Dr. Pruthi recommends patients take the following steps to lower their risk:
- Don't smoke. Accumulating evidence suggests a link between smoking and breast cancer risk, particularly in premenopausal women. In addition, not smoking is one of the best things you can do for your overall health.
- Limit alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol — including beer, wine or liquor — limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.
- Control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.
- Be physically active. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer.
- Breast-feed. Breast-feeding may play a role in breast cancer prevention. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect.
- Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy for more than three to five years increases the risk of breast cancer. If you're taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, ask your doctor about other options.
- Avoid exposure to radiation and pollution. Medical-imaging methods, such as computerized tomography, use high doses of radiation, which have been linked with breast cancer risk.
ROCHESTER, Minn. – A research team led by Fergus Couch, Ph.D., a geneticist at Mayo Clinic, has identified specific genes associated with [...]