PINK OCTOBER – Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This is a very complex process, which takes several years to develop. It is characterised by 3 phases: an attacked cell will be initiated, followed by tumour promotion and tumour progression. The initiation of cancer certainly involves genetic vulnerabilities but also and necessarily involves the processes of nitrosative oxidative stress and dysmethylation, with in summary a very poor management of oxidative stress. Several DNA mutations will be necessary. Then tumour progression will occur only if the tumour finds food (glucose and oxygen). It comes down to a balance between aggression and cellular protection. When the balance is broken, a whole process starts.

Cancer is vicious in nature. It is usually asymptomatic and often does not show symptoms until it is too late. A mass discovered in the breast by palpation, sometimes pain or even a late skin ulcer.

Without a doubt, lifestyle, healthy diet, micronutrition, physical exercise, Chinese medicine, reduction of stress phenomena are for me the basis of the prevention of any cancer. We now know that we can influence our genetics. This is epigenetics.

It is possible to support these treatments by various and varied alternative medicines, such as oncological micronutrition, which is one of my specialities, by Chinese medicine that Dr Frobert practises, and by many others.

Self-assessment is important. It does not replace screening but contributes to it. It makes it possible to find an unusual mass or deformation in the breast, for example, and to lead to a diagnosis of the disease perhaps earlier than if the patient had waited for her screening mammogram or her check-up with her gynaecologist.

Currently, European and international gynaecological societies are discussing whether self-examination remains really useful, in the sense that it could induce a situation of anxiety in women. It could lead to additional health care costs, because women would more easily go to consult without ending up with an increase in the number of breast cancers. I think that everything remains a question of individual medicine vs. societal medicine, towards which we are unfortunately evolving.

The practice of regular physical activity, a healthy lifestyle with, among other things, the reduction of stress and anxiety, and healthy eating remain at the heart of primary prevention.

With a rate of just 1%, breast cancer can also affect men. It is therefore also important for men to perform chest palpation. However, it affects men at a later age compared to women.