Q: Are the number of breast cancer cases rising? Maybe it is just bad luck that several of my friends have been diagnosed with it in the last couple of years or maybe there is an epidemic. Is it because there is more atmospheric pollution or smog?
A: Statistics from the U.S. show that about one in nine women will develop breast cancer at some point in her lifetime. Family history is involved in approximately 30 percent of cases, but the other 70 percent have the non-inherited type.
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We already know about risk factors such as exposure to X-rays during puberty and having children later in life or early puberty. Lifestyle factors such as excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of exercise and obesity are also known to increase the chances of getting this type of cancer.
According to an article in the May 2007 edition of Cancer, animal studies have shown that chemicals in the environment may promote breast cancer, including pesticides, dyes, pharmaceuticals and hormones.
Twenty-five of these substances were found to be present in the atmosphere, but 73 were found in consumer products and medications.
Dioxins are pesticides that damage DNA, promote tumour growth or alter mammary gland development before birth, during puberty and during and after pregnancy. We cannot completely avoid them because they are present in the food we eat such as fish and animal and dairy fat.
The rates of new cases of breast cancer in women older than 50 have been declining since 2003, when hormone replacement therapy stopped being used routinely in menopausal women. This link has not yet been proven scientifically because the situation is complex. There are ongoing clinical trials, but conclusive results have yet to be published.
Other factors could be involved. For example, fewer women seem to be getting mammograms these days. If this is the case, breast cancer rates could start rising again in a few more years.
I am not sure why so many of your friends have been affected by breast cancer. Assuming you have at least nine friends, the odds are that at least one of them will develop it at some time in their life.
Crotch itch
Q: I am a 71-year-old male and for the past two to three years have had an extreme crotch and groin itch. I have been prescribed anti-fungal and anti-bacterial medication, but the condition persists. There must be proven treatments that our grandparents would have used.
A: I am not sure what the grandparents used. My grandfathers both died before I was born, and I am sure that they would not have discussed this problem with me in any case.
Sometimes groin itch is due to a type of dermatitis and not a bacterial or fungal infection. You could try a mild hydrocortisone cream or ointment. You may also need to see a dermatologist.
Clare Rowson is a retired medical doctor with a practice near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
