WELL AND GOOD To prevent breast cancer, stay slim and exercise regularly

THE DEPARTMENT of Health recently stated that breast

cancer is the leading cancer in Filipino females. In fact,

according to the DOH, the incidence of breast cancer in the

Philippines is the highest in Asia. In American women, breast

cancer is the leading cause of death for those between the ages

of 35 and 54. No wonder that just the mention of the words

''breast cancer'' can strike fear in the heart of a woman.

Many scientific studies indicate that exercise can lower the risk

of such diseases as diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis.

Now there is a growing belief that exercise may also prevent

breast cancer. One of the scientists who believe this is Dr.

Christine Wells, a breast cancer survivor herself. Dr. Wells, who

was previously with the Arizona State University, recently

reviewed all the studies in the last 10 years pertaining to breast

cancer and exercise. Her conclusions were published in the

January 1999 issue of the American College of Sports

Medicine's Health and Fitness Journal.

Don't sit down on the job

Studies conducted in five countries and three continents

observed women whose jobs or occupations included walking,

lifting, climbing stairs, manual work, standing and moving from

site to site. The findings indicate that the higher the level of

occupational physical activity, the lower the risk of breast

cancer. Dr. Wells concludes, ''being sedentary at work,

especially sitting for long periods of time, appears to increase a

woman's risk of breast cancer.''

Regular exercise reduces risk

These studies looked at all physical activity not associated with

employment like gardening and housework (considered

low-intensity activities), exercise for health and fitness, and

recreational sports (ranging from moderate to high intensity).

The most physically active women had the greatest reduction in

risk.

A 1997 Norwegian long-term (14 years) study of 25,000 pre- and

postmenopausal women showed that the women who exercised

at least four hours a week had a 37 percent lower risk than

sedentary women. The risk was lowest in lean women, women

under the age of 45, and women who continued to exercise

regularly for three to five years.

A study of 1,000 Californian women that was published in the

Journal of the National Cancer Institute saw the greatest

advantage for the women who started exercising regularly in

adolescence and early adulthood. However, the study also saw

a reduction in risk for those women who started to exercise late

in life.

It's never too late to start

An 11-year Mayo Clinic study of 1,806 women with an average

age of 75 years indicated that women who do moderate activity

(in this study moderate meant housework, gardening, walking)

several times a week had a 50 percent less risk than sedentary

women. The women who engaged in vigorous activity

(swimming, running, playing tennis) at least once a week had an

80 percent reduction in risk.

Weight gain and breast cancer

According to Dr. Zhiping Huang of the Harvard School of

Public Health, there seems to be a relationship between weight

gain and breast cancer. The study showed that if a woman is

more than 44 pounds overweight when she reaches menopause,

she has double the risk of breast cancer. She has a 60 percent

risk if she is 22-44 pounds overweight, and a 20 percent risk if

she has 5-22 pounds of excess weight.

Another study conducted at the Moffitt Cancer Center and

Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, calculated the risk of

breast cancer in women who were overweight at the age of 30.

They found that women 10 pounds overweight had a 23 percent

risk; 15 pounds overweight, a 37 percent risk; and 20 pounds

overweight, a 52 percent risk.

The National Cancer Institute studied 1,500 US women of Asian

descent and also discovered an association between being

overweight and breast cancer. The women who were most

overweight in their 40s and 50s had double the risk of breast

cancer. The women who were over 50 years old and had gained

10 pounds since they were 40 had triple the risk compared to

women whose weight had stayed the same. The good news is

that women who used to be overweight when they were young

but lost weight by their fourth and fifth decade did not increase

their risk of breast cancer.

Estrogen's role in breast cancer

The ovaries produce both estrogen and progesterone, which tell

the milk duct cells in the breasts to divide and multiply in

preparation for a possible pregnancy. Scientists believe that the

female sex hormone, estrogen, may play a major role in causing

cancerous breast cells to grow since breast cell division is

highest right after ovulation when estrogen and progesterone

levels are high. Breast cancer, like cancer of the ovary, is called

an estrogen-dependent cancer. Dr. Wells says breast cancer

cells seem to flourish in the presence of estrogen.

Estrogen is produced in body fat, so by reducing fat, you

reduce the amount of estrogen circulating in the body.

According to Dr. Wells, the body fat in postmenopausal women

converts male hormones called androgens (produced by a

woman's adrenal glands) into estrone, a particularly potent form

of estrogen. She says there is substantial evidence that elevated

estrone levels are associated with an increase in breast cancer in

postmenopausal women.

Why exercise may reduce the risk of breast cancer

Dr. Wells states three possible reasons exercise can prevent

breast cancer. First, it lowers estrogen production by reducing

body fat. Second, low to moderate exercise may enhance our

natural immune system. Third, physically active women tend to

have a healthier lifestyle all around (less smoking, plenty of

fruits and vegetables, lower fat diet, moderate alcohol

consumption, etc.).

Keep exercising

The accumulated evidence seems to boil down to a simple fact.

The more you exercise, the less your risk of breast cancer. The

more sedentary you are, the greater your risk. So, if you are a

couch potato, start exercising. If you have just started to

exercise and feel like giving up, don't. If you have been

exercising regularly and love it, good for you. If you have

daughters, encourage them to exercise as early as possible by

joining sports, dance or workout programs.

* * *

THE ASSOCIATION of Fitness Professionals of the Phils. holds

a workshop for gym/aerobics instructors and fitness

enthusiasts on May 29. Topics include ''Basics of Athletic

Training,'' ''Aqua Aerobics,'' ''Losing Weight: It's a Matter of

Timing'' and ''Alexander Technique.'' Interested parties may call

Ellen Jereza at 871-2420, pager 125-AFPP or e-mail Shirley

Quejada at napq@skyinet.net.