Physical Activity and Breast Cancer Prevention
By: Ashlie S. and Morgan I.

What is “breast cancer?”

•  Malignant tumor in each side of breast

•  Stage 0- No evidence of cancer cell. No cancerous abnormal cells.

•  Stage I- Cancer cells breaking through normal surrounding breast tissue. Two types. IA- Tumor measures 2cm and hasn’t spread outside breast. IB- No tumor, but large group of cells found in lymph nodes.

•  Stage II- Two subcategories. IIA- No tumor, cancer found in lymph nodes near breast. IIB- Tumor found, larger than 2mm but smaller than 5mm, not in axillary lymph nodes.

•  Stage III- No tumor or tumor found, up to 5mm in lymph nodes near breast, or in breast.

•  Stage IV- Tumor found, cancer cells have spread beyond breast and lymph nodes into organs like, lungs, skin, bones, liver and or brain.

•  Four characteristics-
1) Based on size of tumor and or cancer cells
2) Invasive or non-invasive
3) If it is in lymph nodes or not
4) If cancer spreads to other parts of the body

Statistics of breast cancer

•  Females- 192,000 women diagnosed from 2009-2013
1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer

•  Males- 2,140 men diagnosed from 2011-2013
1 in 1,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer

•  Survivors- From 2011-2013 2.6 million survivors

•  Non-survivors- 39,520 women died from breast cancer, and 400 males have died from 2011-2013

•  Recurrence- 25% of survivors will have second recurrence

•  Non-recurrence- 75% have not had recurrence, but this doesn’t mean they cant have recurrence

Risk Factors

•  Age- Chance increases as women age. 2/3 women are older than 55 when diagnosed.

•  Gender- Women more likely, but men aren’t immune to it

•  Weight- More likely to experience a recurrence or die

•  Race- White women are more likely. African Americans are more likely to die once diagnosed. Hispanics and Native Americans at lower risk

•  Family history- More likely to get if blood relatives have had cancer. Mother, sister, daughter that have relative with cancer double their chances.

Physical Activity with breast cancer

•  Physical activity- Any bodily movement by skeletal muscles

•  Breast cancer occurs more in women who are inactive than their active counterparts

•  Prevents tumors by lowering hormones

•  32% women who were diagnoses are physically active

•  Doctors suggest up to 30 minutes per day

Why it helps

•  Studies show that exercise is safe during and after cancer and it’s treatment. Helps improve the patient in many ways