Study Recommends Routine Breast Cancer Screening for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 Genes For All Women Of Ashkenazi Jewish Descent – Even Without a Family History

The New York Times recently published a story on women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent who tested positive for cancer-causing genetic mutations during random screenings have high rates of ovarian and breast cancer even when they have no family history of the disease. The finding questions the validity of screening women for mutations on the condition that other women in their family have had cancer. Israeli researchers recommend routine screening for all women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, the mutated genes that can cause breast cancer. The lead investigator, is Ephrat Levy-Lahad, MD, is Professor of Internal Medicine at Hebrew University and, since 1996, Director of the Medical Genetics Institute at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. Dr. Levy-Lahad is one of the world’s foremost authorities on inherited breast cancer among Jewish women. She directs the Israel Breast Cancer Study (IBCS).  Co-Investigators were Mary-Claire King, PhD, University of Washington, Seattle, WA and Moien Kanaan, PhD, Bethlehem University, Palestinian Authority.  It was funded in part by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Eating Fish May Lower Risk of Hearing Loss in Women

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have found that consumption of two or more servings of fish per week may be associated with a lower risk of hearing loss in women. Findings of the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that this may help to prevent or delay a potentially disabling chronic health condition. Researchers suggest that the consumption of any variety of fish including tuna, dark fish, light fish, shellfish, and long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may be a big help to women.

Potassium Rich Foods Cut Risk of Stroke and Death in Postmenopausal Women

The American Heart Association has found that eating foods labeled high in potassium will cut risk of stroke and death in postmenopausal women. Prior studies have shown that including more potassium in the diet may lower blood pressure, however its effect on stroke and death were not certain. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that women eat 4,700 mg of potassium daily. However only 2.8% of the women in the study had met that recommendation. So how do women get more potassium in their diets? Try eating foods like sweet potatoes, beans, and bananas.

Diverse Gut Bacteria Connected with Lower Risk for Breast Cancer

A new article in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reports findings that postmenopausal women with varying gut bacteria demonstrate a better ratio of estrogen metabolites. This finding is connected with a lower risk for breast cancer when compared with women who have less variation in gut bacteria. The gut microbiome are known for influencing the production of estrogen in a woman’s body.

Researchers Find No Association Between Breast Cancer and Wearing a Bra

Researchers recently published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention that there is no connection between wearing a bra and breast cancer for postmenopausal women. Some had hypothesized that the drainage of waste materials in the breast tissue was possibly hampered by wearing a bra. However, this study shows that there is no evidence of a connection of wearing a bra and breast cancer no matter how many hours it is worn, whether it has an underwire, or even what age you may have started wearing one.