Hi,
I was DX last year and at a very young age of 22. I smoked, drank, went out 3+ days a week and before dx was having the time of my life. Luckily had low grade/stage tumor so chemo wasnt needed, had a mast and hormone therapy.
Nearly a whole yr on I seem to be slipping in to my old ways and im worried. I went from smoking 15 a day to nothing now its crept up gain to a pack of 10 a week! I now go out only once on a weekend, but when i do i drink and feel guilty as my diet is awful.
I am worried as im putting on loads of weight and i know that fat cells produce oestrogen. I am trying to change my diet and my whole lifestyle but im finding it really difficult especially when my friends and boyfriend are leading the same lives as before! I also would like to know where i can find info on diets for cancer patients as i know that im not eating the right things!
Anyones advice would be appreciated!
Emily xx
Hi mariead
Breast Cancer Care have produced a fact sheet on diet and breast cancer, which you might find helpful. It looks at healthy eating and
nutritional issues.
If you would like a copy of this just go to the following link:-
breastcancercare.org.uk/upload/pdf/diet_and_breast_cancer_dec_06_0.pdf
I hope you find this helpful.
Kind regards
Sam (BCC Facilitator)
I seem to remember reading something that suggested that before the menopause you were more likely to get breast cancer if you were thin.
speaking as a thin person who got breast cancer at 47 I can only concur. I also smoked 20 a day aged 22, gave up at 29 and again at 35 and again at 47. And haven’t smoked a thing since diagnosis. There’s no connection between smoking and breast cancer although smoking is implicated in lung cancer and a load of other unpleasant medical conditions e.g. intermittent claudication, which I think results eventually in loss of limbs which isn’t a great idea.
Also diet doesn’t seem to make any difference to breast cancer, although not eating roughage or vegetables is associated with higher rates of bowel cancer. There are some theories that Japanese women have low rates of breast cancer due to diet but there are other factors which may make a difference to rates which make it difficult to prove diet is the real reason for low rates. Interestingly stomach cancer is much more common amongst Japanese women but less likely to kill them than it is in England because it is more often recognised early enough for something to be done to cure it.
My conclusion is - eat, drink and be merry, but cut down on the fags or go cold turkey
Mole