2024 SABCS Meeting Magazine - 24

SABCS® explores risk
reduction and early
detection of breast cancer
Risk reduction and early detection remain among the primary goals of breast cancer
research and themes that will be explored thoroughly during the 2024 San Antonio Breast
Cancer Symposium®. Researchers and clinicians will outline reasons for hope and the
biggest obstacles to overcome for these critical initiatives.
HOW PHARMACOTHERAPY CAN ASSIST WITH BREAST CANCER RISK REDUCTION
The overall cancer death rate in the United States is
falling, with more than 4.1 million cancer deaths avoided
between 1991 and 2021, according to the American
Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Cancer
Progress Report 2024, released in September.
This reduction is attributed, in part, to improvements
in treatment and early detection of certain cancers
facilitated by public health campaigns and policy
initiatives. In the United States, 40% of all cancers are
associated with modifiable risk factors such as excess
body weight, unhealthy dietary patterns, alcohol intake,
and physical inactivity, the AACR reported.
" Women at all risk levels can reduce their chance of
developing breast cancer and several other cancers with
24
healthy behaviors, " said Carol Fabian, MD, University
of Kansas Medical Center. For women at average and
moderately increased risk, healthy behaviors along
with appropriate screening behaviors may be the only
intervention that is needed.
A healthy diet for this population would include five
servings of fruits and vegetables per day, whole grains, and
minimal processed meat paired with three or more hours
of moderate-intensity exercise per week, maintaining
a healthy weight, and minimizing alcohol intake. These
lifestyle modifications can reduce the risk of breast cancer
by about 30%, along with common health problems such
as diabetes and heart disease, yet fewer than 20% of
Americans achieve these goals, Dr. Fabian noted.
2024 SABCS®
| Meeting Magazine
2024 SABCS Meeting Magazine

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