Huffington Post article by Dr. Weiss

ShelleyJ43.  I guess the Rock article by Gladwell...Rocks?

I think the article underscores that no changes occur in a vacuum and Mother Nature, who's been around for a VERY long time, knew what she was doing...Then we came along and....

Anyway, I wholeheartedly agree with you that the ideas expressed in the article serve to explain ER+ fueled breast cancers, but do not explain TNBC. 

Just read the Glad article - very interesting.

This site might be skewed, but my understanding is the largest growing group of cases is in young women. And I believe that speaks to something, just not sure what exactly. 

nurse-ann...I noticed something of the same phenomenon myself.  In 1996-1997 I took both my mother and my teenage daughter for radiation.  My daughter was a rarity, causing many stares from the 'older' patients in the large waiting area.  Fast forward to my own radiation tx in 2007.  There were many more younger people in the mix.  I was very aware of that.  Even then, I wondered if it was because of my different perspective (older and now the patient) or if it was a trend. 

Until recently all BC research was done on mice--humans are the only mammals that have breasts all the time and not just when nursing their young. The so-called "risk" factors are just guesses because we just don't know what really causes BC--it very well could be a virus, just like they have found that viruses can cause cervical cancer. I encourage all of you to  join the ArmyOfWomen.org which was co-founded by Dr. Susan Love--to have a resource of women available for research projects to find the cause, then and only then can we really protect ourselves from BC.

It also may be there are many factors causing the different types (ER +/-, PR+/-, HER2+/-, --all combinations could be different subsets. For example it appears that smoking may be a risk factor for a small subset of women who have never had children and are pre-menopausal, yet smoking may be a protective factor for another subset because it lowers estrogen in the body.

When I was in my 20's I did all the wrong things--ate garbage, drank too much, smoked, partied with the best of them and didn't have children--did any of this cause my BC at age 32???? Who knows but I cleaned up my act since then, stopped all the bad habits and it came back after 23 years--again who knows why?? I choose not to blame myself for anything I've done or not done, because we don't really know if it would have made any difference at all. I also did not get a sense of blame from the article--because the suggestions were too genetic to really be helpful. have a joyous day.

Is the "article" an "article" or a book and is there a charge for the book - if so, what is happening with the profits - honestly I am quite upset about this whole thing - add to that the fact that they're talking about putting "a few" ads on the site and we are starting to turn "pink" aren't we?  Not what I signed up for I can tell you, what is it with yogurt companies anyway?

I had hoped that Dr. Weiss would be more interested in getting money for research instead of all this junk - it's already been done (Komen anybody?).

Good read Beesie! 

I just realized I miss reading your posts.... TY!

I agree with the "virus" concept. After years of being treated for a stomach ulcer, how amazing to find out it is a virus and not an "A-type" personality that caused it!!

I started reading it, but got bogged down in the Catholic church parts. The pill. Estrogen. Yep. Can you give us a synopsis of it?

Okay, finished. Good points about the Japanese and all and estrogen and periods and stuff. But anything new? I was impressed with the difference between the number of periods we have compared to those in say, Africa. The logic applies. But why do they start their periods so late? I would think they'd start even earlier to reproduce as much as possible to keep their tribe healthy and growing. This new birth control that gives you only 4 periods a year should help some. But mind blowing? Not really....

I'm afraid I didn't understand your post then. Never mind. 

Barbe - I'm glad you took the time to read the entire article.  I guess the point of the article is that it underscores the importance of evolutionary medical research when we look for insight into the causes of breast cancerS and that it can, perhaps, ultimately, lead us to a PREVENTION. 

Barbe - My daughter didn't begin her periods until she was 16.  She was athletic and slender and according to the pediatrician...she didn't have enough body fat to menstruate. (She takes after my husband's side of the family -- my three kids are all lean and lanky like their father.) We increased her caloric intake and she FINALLY gained enough weight to start menstruating.  After reading the John Rock article several years ago, I always wondered how necessary it was to get her periods started.  She's now approaching 27 and takes birth control pills to regulate her periods because she has never had regular monthly periods.  We were told that she shouldn't go more than 3 or 4 months without a period, otherwise it might ruin her ovaries.  Despite much testing, she was never diagnosed with any hormone imbalance that would explain why she menstruates so infrequently.  Sometimes I wish, that she and her soon to be fiance, just get pregnant, so I could stop worrying about her fertility and her risk of breast cancer.

Perhaps, though, what my daughter WAS experiencing should have been considered, the NORMAL. 

Barbe I was plus or minus 120lbs (5"6") until I was 45. Went up to about 126 when I was 46 (when they think my breast cancer started). Even at diagnosis I was only 128lbs. I used to walk everywhere since I live in the city.

I haven't eaten at McD's since the 80's. Only fast food I did do was Subway 6" chicken with lots of hot peppers, lettuce, tomato and vinegar only & a diet soda… but I won't be doing that anymore since the chicken I used to order had processed soy.

Thing is being under 127lbs adds another risk for osteoporosis. You could go crazy with this stuff. Our reality… something is eventually going to kill us.  I personally would prefer, when the time comes, firing squad. Quick and painless but firing squad doesn't appear to be an option.

I think it is great that people are finally talking about prevention as ONE element of the BC equation.  It seems that ALL the emphasis is on medical, drug, surgical intervention.  Of course no one is saying women need to go out at a young age and "birth some babies" , unless they wanted to do that anyway.  Unfortunately, even though they have spent bazillions of dollars trying to find "the cure", incidents just keep going up.  I find looking at epidemiological studies fascinating.  Why are BC rates so much higher in Western societies. It has to be due to something we are doing differently.   I'm going by memory, but I think it is double that in Japan, Africa and even third world countries.  I know some of this has to do with over diagnosis and early detection, but certainly not all.  I don't think it is an "either or" argument.  I used medical (surgery, chemo and rads), I am now trying to reduce my chances of recurrence with nutrition, exercise and supplements.  I am sharing what I know with my beautiful, young nieces in the hopes they will never have to fight this beast.  I applaud Dr. Weiss for talking about prevention.