Nutrition for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer can be broken down into three categories, including genetic, familial, and sporadic. 

Genetic breast cancer: Genetic breast cancer makes up 5-10% of all breast cancers. It occurs when a person has a mutation in a gene that predisposes them to breast cancer. Individuals with a genetic mutation may have a >50% chance of passing it on to their offspring.

Familial breast cancer: This category of breast cancer makes up 40-60% of breast cancers and occurs when people who live in the same area, eat the same foods, and have a similar lifestyle have a risk of getting the same diseases. It may also be related to yet-unknown risk factors or genetic problems.

Sporadic breast cancer: This involves people who get breast cancer for no specific reason. They are usually the first in their family to be diagnosed.

Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease, and there is a combination of lifestyle, diet, environmental factors, genetics, and hormonal influences that play a role in its development. Many medical professionals believe that familial and sporadic breast cancers may develop based on food and lifestyle choices.

Board-Certified Surgeon

MICHELE LEY, MD, FACS

Dr. Ley, a breast surgical oncologist in Tucson since 2006, delivers compassionate and personalized care to create tailored treatment plans based on the latest research. Specializing in surgical care for breast cancer and high-risk patients, she employs minimally invasive techniques and practices oncoplastic surgery to optimize outcomes.

More About Dr. Ley

Nutritional Recommendations for Breast Cancer

Regarding nutrition, it is beneficial to eat a whole food diet. A vital part of this involves eliminating, as much as possible, processed foods. One great way to make grocery shopping easy while following a whole food diet is to focus on the foods at the periphery of the grocery store. These include fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains.

There are an increased number of studies that connect eating meat, dairy, and refined sugars to an increased risk of cancer. Following a plant-based diet (most of your diet comes from plants not animals) or a Mediterranean diet can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer or having a recurrence of breast cancer by 25% or more.  Speak with your doctor before making drastic changes in your diet plan to make the best overall decision for your health.

At Tucson Breast Health Specialists, we recommend www.nutrtionfacts.org as a fantastic source regarding nutrition and health.

“The level of care is excellent.”

Dr. Ley helped me through the first round of BC in 2017 with kindness, compassion and expertise! I had absolutely no reservations when trusting her for a 2021 and now for the 3rd time I can’t imagine going through this without her. She is a lion when it comes to fighting for you, calls you personally even though she has to be the busiest Dr. and mother I know. She’s considerate of your needs, fears and concerns and never lets you go it alone. Can’t say enough good!

Dr. Ley is an excellent doctor who cares about her patients. She takes the time to explain everything and provides all options. The level of care is excellent.

Dr. Ley is extremely good at explaining your breast cancer, treatment options, and everything she is going to do. She is a masterful surgeon and uses plastic techniques to close incisions, leaving minimal scarring. In addition, she is warm, pleasant, and a lovely person. I am so happy that I found her based on a friend’s recommendation. I can’t say enough about her and the practice’s excellent care.

Reducing Your Breast Cancer Risk

Certain foods have been found to show promise in reducing the risk of breast cancer. While many of these are still being studied, they bring about promising outcomes. We recommend consuming them as foods and not as supplements as the food often contains other benefits. These include:

Turmeric (curcumin): Shown to be toxic to certain cancer cells in animal studies. Can be added to food fresh or in powder form.

Garlic and onions: Eating garlic and other vegetables that belong to the allium family such as chives, leeks, onions, etc., has been shown to decrease cancer risk.

Cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale and others are in this family and have been shown to reduce the risk for several cancers. The active ingredients can be bought in supplement form, but as these veggies have many other nutrients and fiber, it is best to eat them in your diet.

Mushrooms: Certain mushrooms have been found to have anticancer properties.

Vitamin D:  Women with Vitamin D levels in the high normal range (45-85ng/ml) seem to have a decreased risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Contact Us Today

If you are seeking nutritional guidance regarding breast cancer, please contact Tucson Breast Health Specialists in Tucson, AZ today. We will be happy to assist you on your breast health journey.

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