Does our lifestyle contribute to breast cancer?

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer amongst women between the ages 14-60 (de Bock et al., 2006). Breast cancer causes physical changes such as changes in body shape, hair loss, early menopause, and loss of fertility, therefore this is a major health concern. Depression, anxiety, loneliness, and issues with body image are all profound (Bloom et al., 2004). Breast cancer can be caused by biological factors like the BRCA mutation in the DNA, or by behavioural factors like excessive alcohol intake, hormone infusions, poor nutrition, and how much exercise we get (McTiernan, 2003). Because genetics is beyond our control, the review focuses on behavioural factors. Therefore, implementing dietary and physical activity interventions could thereby improve the long-term prospects of breast cancer prevention (Holmes & Willett, 2004). This review is significant because it raises awareness of the condition and explores the behavioural factors that may contribute to it, as well as evaluating intervention strategies to address the condition. Bringing attention to the fact that prevention is preferable to cure. As a result, the aim of the literature review is to shed light on the lifestyle variables that contribute to the disease and to evaluate relevant interventions that could assist in preventing it.

The total amount of food and beverages consumed is referred to as a person's diet. According to previous research, incorporating a plant-based diet lowers the incidence of breast cancer (Romanos-Nanclares et al., 2021). A whole food plant-based diet is naturally high in micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fibre, and phytonutrients such as antioxidants found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans (Assi et al., 2015), all of which are required for proper metabolic patterns and have been shown to have cancer-preventive properties, such as protecting cells from harm (Shapira, 2017). However, nitrites can be transformed into cancer causing compounds; N-nitroso compounds, and are naturally found in and are used as preservatives in most processed meat, especially red meat, which is why a plant based diet should be prioritised in order to prevent the risk of breast cancer (Rossi et al., 2014),

Moving on, Rigi et al., 2021 investigated the relationship between a good plant-based diet and unhealthful versions of a plant-based diet and its link to breast cancer in Iranian women. According to the study, people who ate a nutritious plant-based diet were 67% less likely to develop breast cancer, whereas those who ate an unhealthy plant-based diet had a higher chance of developing the illness. Despite the fact that adopting a plant-based diet is a significant intervention in avoiding breast cancer, the diet itself is a broad spectrum that can be misconstrued, according to the study. As a result, it is critical to ensure that the proper approach to a plant-based diet is recognized.

It is also worth noting that alcohol plays a significant role in our diets and is strongly linked to breast cancer, with more than 10% of cancer cases being linked to alcohol (Sun et al., 2020). Nonetheless, the majority of alcoholic beverages are not plant-based and contain some animal product throughout the manufacturing process. As a result, a plant-based diet should naturally eliminate a substantial proportion of alcohol from a person's diet. (Huang et al., 2019).

Another behavioural intervention is to integrate physical activity in an individual's lifestyle. Physical activity is a well-researched intervention for reducing the risk of future comorbidities and alleviating health problems associated with breast cancer (Lynch et al., 2021). Exercise prevents tumour development and reduces tumour-induced myeloid-derived suppressor cell accumulation (MDSCs). The decrease in MDSCs is followed by an increase in natural killer and CD8 T cell activation, implying that exercise helps to restore a healthy immunological environment (Wennerberg et al., 2020). It also affects menstrual cycle patterns and ovarian hormone production, making it a strong indicator of lower breast cancer risk. (Bernstein et al., 1994)

Furthermore, regular physical activity keeps the body healthy, which helps to prevent obesity. In both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, obesity is a significant risk factor for breast cancer. Obesity is associated with 84,000 cancer diagnoses per year, and is responsible for 15 to 20% of cancer-related fatalities (Seiler et al., 2018). Moreover, an increase in oestrogen level can escalate the risk of breast cancer in correspondence to greater fat tissues as well as greater levels of insulin, another hormone associated with the disease. (Gérard & Brown, 2018). Chronic inflammation, overexpression of insulin-like growth factors, insulin resistance, and altered immune function are all possible molecular mechanisms underpinning the link between lack of physical activity, breast cancer risk and survival (Sánchez-Jiménez et al., 2019).

According to a study by Eliassen et al., although overweight women have a 12% greater risk of breast cancer, obese women have a 25% increased risk. Emphasising the need of physical activity and associating obesity to an increased risk of breast cancer, as well as recurrence and mortality.

Nevertheless, it is important to consider that being obese can also be caused by factors other than exercise such as diet, genetics, psychological factors or underlying diseases such as hypothyroidism (Pi-Sunyer, 2002)

To conclude, approximately 10% of breast cancer cases are inherited (Feng et al., 2018), making it critical to maintain healthy daily habits. Dietary and physical activity interventions, as previously stated, are both critical measures in the prevention of breast cancer. However, they are not as effective when used separately, therefore changing one's lifestyle by combining both interventions would yield the best results.