October 11, 2004
PREVENTING BREAST CANCER
Bob Filice, M.D.

General risk factors for breast cancer (and cancer in general) are obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, alcohol, sugar, and coffee consumption, increased dietary saturated fats, inadequate antioxidants, fiber, and essential oils, and increased daily hours of bra use, especially if an underwire variety is used.

All women should consider having hormone and general cancer physiology testing done when they are healthy so that unfavorable changes over the years can be more easily identified. Also this process will precisely identify those patients with hormone or other imbalances that predispose to breast cancer, primarily estrogen/progesterone imbalance and excess insulin, so that corrective interventions can be started early that will have preventative impact later on. Essentially I am looking for signs of too much estrogen and insulin, and elevated levels of the bad estrogen metabolite 16alphahydroxyestrone. Women in cancer prone families need to be especially careful and should know their estrogen level just as well as their cholesterol level.

Many breast cancer preventive interventions relate to lowering estradiol levels and creating a more favorable metabolic pathway for the detoxification of estrogen. This can be done with diet and nutraceuticals. Our recommended diet is low in carbs, and focuses on protein, veggies (especially cruciferous), and “good” fats and oil.

To summarize, if you want to reduce your risk of breast cancer avoid pharmaceutical hormone replacement therapy, and be careful about the oral contraceptives, avoid obesity, eat a low carbohydrate diet that includes fermented soy, avoid sugar and caffeine, exercise regularly, be proactive about managing stress in your life, and take the nutritional supplements that are right for you. Estrogen dominance must be managed early and aggressively, so take the presence of fibrocystic breasts, severe PMS, fibroids, or endometriosis very seriously and get some good advice from an experienced natural medicine physician. Do monthly self exams, and yearly physician exams. Get yearly mammograms after 50, but earlier if you are at higher risk, and minimize your wearing of bra’s. You CAN impact your risk of breast cancer. And we can help you do it.

ANTIBIOTICS AND BREAST CANCER 
Bob Filice, M.D. 
The Journal of the American Medical Association in February 2004 reported that there appears to be an association between breast cancer incidence, fatality of breast cancer when it occurs, and antibiotic use in women. This study involved large numbers of women over a period of many years, and thus should be taken seriously. It found a 2- to 5-fold increase in incidence!! Antibiotics are prescribed with almost complete abandon by orthodox physicians, as though they are completely safe and harmless. This is not the case. Emergence of resistant strains, abnormal bowel flora, and effects on hormone metabolism may all be detrimental to health. Remember that drugs have side effects, and should be used as a last resort. Run away from any doctor that prescribes antibiotics freely and indiscriminantly.