Breast cancer has earned the disrepute of becoming the second-most killing type of all cancers that are found in humans, having lost the race only to lung cancer. About one in every ten women has chances of developing breast cancer if precautions are not taken early on. Despite this alarming number of its victims, it is pathetic to know that there is an absolute lack of information on the disease. It is not that there is no written material available about the disease, but most women are too complacent regarding the problem. It is always the 'disease that affects the other woman so it doesn';t bother me'; until it is too late to remedy the situation.

Breast cancer is the abnormal growth of cells within the breast. These cells would aggregate like a lump, which would be called as the breast tumor. The tumor can be felt from the outside of the breast even when it is still harmless. At this harmless stage, it is called as a benign tumor. Benign tumors can be surgically operable. If that is done, the risk of the advancement of the breast cancer is very negligible. But if the tumor is allowed to go on, then it would continue to the malignant stage. During this stage the cancer would proliferate to such an extent within the surrounding tissues that it would be impossible to remove it completely. When the cancerous cells enter the bloodstream, there is no way out. The result is certain death.

Hence it is important to snuff out the breast cancer while it is still benign, and perhaps that is the only way to keep the cancer at bay once it occurs. But most women do not know that there are various ways to reduce the risk of contracting breast cancers. Since breast cancer can strike just about any woman, it is extremely necessary to pay attention to these methods that can help to prevent the disease. The following are the precautions that women must take to prevent the onset of breast cancer:-

(1) If you are overweight, then seriously work at reducing your weight. Science has proved a direct relation between obesity and breast cancer. At the same time, lean women have a significantly lesser chance of contracting the disease.

(2) Do not introduce any supplements in your body that could change the internal hormonal balance of the body. In women, the two main feminine character deciding hormones are progesterone and estrogen. These hormones maintain the proper balance of the female characteristics, including the shape and the function of the breasts. An alteration in this balance could bring on several female health related diseases, among which breast cancer is just one of them.

(3) Smoking is extremely hazardous in women as it can play havoc with the biological rhythm of the body. Excessive smoking could cause sterility in both the male and the female. But in women, smoking has been found (by statistical analysis) that women who smoke stand at a much higher risk of breast cancer than others. The same can be said about women who consume too much of alcohol.

(4) Walking is considered to be effective in keeping breast cancer away. Walking is a simple exercise, but it can keep the woman';s body fit. Also walking stimulates proper blood circulation in all parts of the body without making the person excessively tired. Apart from walking, other simple exercises like running, jumping, swimming, etc. are also effective.

(5) All women over the age of 40 are at a risk of breast cancer. Hence they should keep their lifestyle healthy. The diet should be kept as natural as possible, and artificial spices and preservatives must be avoided. Elderly women should not lead sedentary lifestyles; they must involve themselves in some kind of physical activity or the other, depending on their lifestyles.

(6) There has been a kind of an association established with high fats and breast cancers. Women whose diet consists of a lot of fats are more susceptible to getting breast cancers than others. For this reason, it is necessary to minimize fats in the diet as much as possible. Instead of high-calorie fats, a low fat diet is preferable. This will also help to keep obesity and cardiovascular problems in check.

Breast cancer prevention is more important than the treatment of the cancer itself, because prevention is always better than cure. The above precautions will greatly reduce the risk of having a cancer, but then they are not sure-shot methods. Medical science has not yet been able to come up with a good explanation as to why some women get breast cancers and some don';t. Hence at the slightest sign of any abnormality with your breasts, it is necessary to seek urgent medical attention. Your vigilance might save your life.