Published November 30, 2002 in the North Island Weekender
I want to share some of the information I learned and spoke about at the Women’s Breast Health Forum in Courtenay on Oct 23rd 2002. The forum was put on by the Comox Valley Breast Health Group who really promote breast self examination (BSE). Another definition of BSE is Being Self Empowered! They stressed to examine the area underneath the collarbone during the breast self-exam as well as the rest of the breast and axillary lymph glands. I learned that breast cancer can be painful.
Questions that were asked of the panel that I was a part of included:
Q. What if I have a lump and my doctor says it is nothing, but I am
still worried?
A. Definitely push for further testing and even a biopsy if that is what is going to give you peace of mind. The guest speaker Feather Janz, age 30, told of her story of finding a lump in her early twenties but it took two years before it was finally diagnosed as breast cancer! If you are worried your body may be trying to tell you something, so listen to your “gut feelings”.
Q. Should I keep up with the BSE once I have had a radical mastectomy (removal of all the breast tissue and lymph nodes)?
A. “Breast” exams should be continued after a radical mastectomy, feeling for any changes in the tissues that remain. Many women do this for peace of mind.
Questions that were asked of me included:
Q. Are there tests that can monitor my risk factors
that may relate to other parts of my body other than my breasts?
A. The answer is yes. The 2/16 hydroxy estrone test measures the levels
of 16 hydroxyestrogen in relationship to the 2 hydroxyestrogen. The 16 has been
discovered to be more carcinogenic than the 2, so you want more of the 2. This
is measured by a urine test. If the ratio is abnormal this can be changed by
supplementing with indole-3-carbinol or indoplex (Diindolymethane). This ratio
will increase in any estrogen related cancer i.e. ovary and uterus and in the
case of men, prostate. Other tests include liver detoxification pathway tests
that tell you how well your liver is detoxifying. The liver is important for
metabolizing hormones and if they are not excreted but re-circulated this adds
to the cancer risk. You can also measure IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1)
which when elevated indicates a higher level of insulin in your body. Insulin
rises when our diet contains too much sugar, which the cancer cells thrive on.
If you start to monitor IGF-1 yearly it can be used as a risk factor in
prevention as well as a way to monitor your progress.
Q. Is there a time in my monthly cycle that it is better for me to have surgery on my breast?
A. There is research indicating that if you wait until you are in the latter part of your cycle around day 19-28 that there may be less risk of spreading of the cancer cells. Many times the surgeon and/or oncologist will encourage you to have surgery/chemo/radiation immediately once you are diagnosed. I feel that unless you have an aggressive form of cancer that you can wait a few weeks, do your research and be fully informed instead of being rushed into making decisions. Many women wait many weeks to get the diagnosis, but everything is speeded up after that. This perplexes me.
Q. When should I start my treatment program after diagnosis?
A. Naturopathic treatments should be started right away. Most women wait many months or years before seeing a naturopathic physician. Once you realize that most cancers take many years to develop and that there are many causes, you will understand the importance of treating your entire body, not just your breasts.
Is there a link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer? Moderate consumption of alcohol increases IGF-1 and we know that increases your risk of not only breast cancer, but also prostate and lung cancers.
My take home message was: Naturopathic medicine can support the woman with breast cancer no matter what stage she is in; it is complementary to Western medicine; it is never too late to start a naturopathic program; the research naturopathic physicians are reading is different than the research MD’s are reading; causes of breast cancer are multi-factoral however increased levels of estrogens in our environment, in our diet and our medications increase the overall risk. Limit the use of oral contraceptives to a total of five years; eat only organic meat and dairy products; avoid prescription hormone replacement therapy; learn about Rachel Carlson Day (May 27) which is meant to increase the awareness of our toxic environment which is increasing the cancer rate in general; monitor your risk factors using the 2/16 ratio and IGF-1 tests; and get Dr. Kaur’s book A Call To Women, The Healthy Breast Program and Workbook and last, but not least, do your monthly breast self exams!
Dr. Pincott has been practicing naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is currently practicing in Campbell River. She can be reached at (250) 286-3655 or www.DrPincott.com