Daily management and prevention of breast cancer

Daily Management

Achieve and maintain a healthy weight

Try to keep your weight within the normal range (i.e., BMI of 18.5-23.9 kg/m2). For overweight and obese breast cancer patients, dietary energy intake should be reduced, and individualized exercise weight loss guidance should be received. For patients with malnutrition or underweight, a nutrition improvement plan should be developed and implemented.

Regularly participate in physical activities

Adult breast cancer patients aged 18-64 should exercise at least 150 minutes per week for moderate intensity (5 times per week, 30 minutes each time), or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic exercise, and strength training at least twice a week. Elderly patients aged ＞65 should also exercise as much as possible according to the above recommendations.

Reasonable nutrition and diet

It is recommended to eat a low-fat diet, choose food that contains high-quality protein (such as fish, lean meat, eggs, nuts, soy, etc.), eat more vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and eat less refined grains, red meat, processed meat, desserts, high-fat milk and fried foods.

Be cautious with health supplements

Health supplements containing a large amount of estrogen should be used with caution to avoid re-stimulating breast epithelial cell proliferation.

- Quit smoking and drinking

Daily Monitoring

Patients should pay attention to postoperative follow-up. It is recommended to have a check-up every 3 months within 2 years after surgery, every 6 months within 3 to 5 years, and every year after 5 years. The doctor will recommend appropriate follow-up intervals based on each patient's condition. If there is any discomfort during the follow-up period, seek medical attention in time.

Issues Needing Attention

Some people mistakenly believe that they can't have a sex life after suffering from breast cancer. This is a wrong idea. Sex life will not cause abnormal hormone fluctuations in the body. On the contrary, harmonious family life and sex life are more conducive to the physical and psychological recovery of breast cancer patients and help them reintegrate into society.

Disease Screening

For breast cancer prevention, the WHO suggests that the risk of the disease can be reduced to a certain extent by adjusting daily lifestyles and attaching importance to disease screening.

Screening for non-breast cancer high-risk groups

- 20 to 39 years old
Breast screening is not recommended for people in this age group.

- Ages 40–70:
Annual mammograms are advised. For those with dense breast tissue (indicated as type C or D on mammograms), an ultrasound is also recommended.

- 40 to 70 years old
Mammography once a year, and for dense breasts (mammography indicates that the glands are type C or type D), it is recommended to combine with a B-ultrasound examination.

- 70 years old or above
Mammography once every 1 to 2 years.

Screening for breast cancer high-risk groups

It is recommended that breast screening start at an earlier age (<40 years old), mammography once a year, breast ultrasound once every 6 to 12 months, and breast enhanced MRI once a year if necessary.

Daily life management

- Change daily lifestyle, such as eating healthy, limiting alcohol consumption, and exercising regularly;

- Perform regular breast self-examinations to understand breast dynamic changes in real-time. If there are abnormal signs in the breast, seek medical attention promptly;

- To reduce the risk of breast cancer, try to use the lowest dose during hormone therapy;

- For women at high risk of breast cancer, such as those with a family history of breast cancer or breast cancer gene mutations, preventive drug therapy (such as estrogen receptor modulators, aromatase inhibitors, etc.) or surgical treatment (such as preventive mastectomy, preventive oophorectomy, etc.) can be performed.