Your Health by Dr. Rallie McAllister

A recent study conducted by British scientists points to a potential link between aluminum-based antiperspirants and breast cancer in women. Researchers at Keele University in England investigated the association by measuring the aluminum content of breast tissue samples from 17 breast cancer patients.

Compared to tissue collected from the inner region of the breast, tissue from the outer region of the breast had significantly higher concentrations of aluminum, a known carcinogen. According to the researchers, the higher content of aluminum in the outer breast tissue can be explained by this region's closer proximity to the underarm and greater exposure to antiperspirant products.

Aluminum-based antiperspirant is just one of many suspects in a long lineup of agents accused of increasing the risk of breast cancer. Earlier this year, researchers at the National Cancer Institute reported that high-fat diets can significantly boost the chances of developing the disease.

Last year, Harvard researchers announced their discovery of the link between red meat and breast cancer. Their study of more than 90,000 women revealed that the more red meat the women consumed as young adults, the greater their chances of developing hormone-related breast cancer later in life.

Why red meat might increase breast cancer risk still isn't entirely clear. Some scientists believe it's because cooking meat produces carcinogenic substances, while others say that growth hormones given to beef cattle could fuel breast cancer in women who consume meat from treated animals.

Steaks and burgers aren't the only culinary culprits. In 2005, Harvard scientists discovered a potential link between childhood consumption of French fries and an increased risk of breast cancer risk during adulthood.

As part of the ongoing Nurses' Health Study, the researchers analyzed the health and previous dietary habits of more than 2,000 women. They found that for every extra weekly serving of fries the women reportedly consumed as preschoolers, their risk of breast cancer as adults rose significantly.

Alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor. Women who drink more than one alcoholic beverage daily have been found to have a 20 percent greater chance of developing the disease than women who abstain.

Even the use of antibiotic medications appears to influence the likelihood of breast cancer.

After evaluating the pharmacy records of more than 10,000 women, researchers at the University of Washington made the connection. Women who had taken antibiotics for a lifetime total of more than 500 days had double the risk of breast cancer compared to women who hadn't used the medication.

The researchers speculated that antibiotics may interfere with the body's immune system, making it less effective in warding off all types of illnesses, including cancer. On the other hand, it could be that women with less robust immune systems not only take antibiotics more often, they also may be more susceptible to developing cancer.

While some cancer risks can be managed or modified, others are completely beyond a woman's control. In 2005, researchers in the Netherlands reported that left-handed women appeared to be more than twice as likely to develop breast cancer as those who were right-handed.

Last year, the results of a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute demonstrated that women with extremely dense breast tissue had nearly four times the risk of breast cancer than women whose breasts were mostly fat tissue. And researchers at the University of Liverpool in England discovered that women with breast cancer were significantly more likely to have breasts that were asymmetrical than women without the disease.

With so many potential risk factors, it's no wonder that one in eight American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her lifetime.

This year, an estimated 178,480 women in the United States will receive a breast cancer diagnosis, and more than 40,000 women will lose their lives to the disease. The good news is that with early detection and treatment, more women are surviving and returning to active, productive lives.

One of the most important steps women can take to protect themselves is to have regular screening exams. For women without a family history of cancer or other significant risk factors, the American Cancer Society recommends clinical breast exams every three years until the age of 40. After age 40, women should have clinical breast exams and mammograms annually.

Regular screening won't prevent breast cancer, but it can facilitate early detection. Even better, it can dramatically increase the likelihood of a cure.

Rallie McAllister, M.D., M.P.H., is a family physician in Kingsport, Tenn., and author of "Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom's Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim." Her Web site is http://www.rallieonhealth.com. To find out more about Rallie McAllister, M.D., and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.

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