Breast Cancer Awareness: Prevention

Most people know that diet, exercise and smoking can impact your ability to fight cancer.

But how about breast feeding or surgery?

We have the latest recommendations from doctors as our breast cancer awareness series continues.Liz Cooper, Cancer Survivor, "A diagnosis of cancer is a challenge and a life changing experience that you never truly forget."

For Liz Cooper that diagnosis came after a routine mammogram ten years ago.

Now she spends time sharing her story to encourage prevention.

Cooper, "I'm blessed and I look at things in a much different way. I know what's important."

Exercise may be an important step in the breast cancer battle.

Dr. Brooke Daniel, Oncologist, "There's been some studies of women who develop breast cancer on ways you can reduce the risk of it coming back. There's been some trials that show that exercise did seem to help."

Doctors recommend walking 30 minutes six nights a week.

Studies have suggested eating fruit and vegetables while cutting back on fat may help prevent breast cancer.

And the way you feed your baby might also help.

Dr. Daniel, "When you look back at women who develop breast cancer women who breast feed seem to have less incidents of breast cancer than those who did not breast feed so there's thought to be some productive effect from breastfeeding."

Doctors also recommend a monthly self breast exam.

Dr. John Nelson, Battlefield Imaging, "It's so important for women to get to know the make up of the breast, how they feel. The lumps and bumps because occassionally a woman can feel something that we won't see on a mammogram."

And they warn smoking has been linked to breast and several other cancers.

Genetic therapy leads to another strategy for prevention.

Dr. Tom Gilmore, "When you have a family history that suggests a genetic abnormality that puts them at extreme risk for the development of breast cancer there's definitely treatment that can be pursued before it has an opportunity to develop."

Doctors recommend women who have the BRCA 1 or 2 gene consider surgery to remove the breasts and in some cases the ovaries before developing breast cancer.

These women should also have earlier and more frequent mammograms.

Liz Cooper, "I did not have a knowledge of it being in the family."

But like Liz Cooper, for most women breast cancer just happens.

Which is why steps like these might be worth taking.

While we focused on women in our series, men can develop breast cancer too.

It is rare and usually happens to men in their 60s and 70s.

The screenings and treatments for women work for male breast cancer.