Root Causes of Breast Cancer.

I think many of us start thinking about what could have caused our breast cancer when we get diagnosed.

When considering environmental exposures I looked at what was different from my exposure than from my 3 sisters and my mother. We were all exposed to the same things - especially until we moved out of our parents home. Same playgrounds, same school buildings, same water, food, etc.
That doesn’t mean one of us could have a different outcome, just less likely. But it’s very hard to show that.

For myself, my best guess is that I exposed myself to lots of plastics in the containers of food I used, sometimes heated food in. I did expose myself to pesticides and herbicides (all which carried warning labels on their bottles) while gardening. And then I worked for a while in the graphic arts developing prints with exposure to the chemicals. But one of the most likely reasons I accelerated breast cancer was from my weight changes - the yo-yo weight changes meant I was constantly increasing fat (noticeable changes in breast size) which increased estrogen in my breasts, and then losing weight releasing any damaging chemicals my body had stored in fat.
With so many variables it’s difficult to figure out what really caused it.
There is some validity, though, at looking at environmental exposures when there is data that shows as a community there is a higher cancer rate.

I have posted this graphic before. My oncologist and surgeon say unless genetic, you’ll never know the cause.

Best wishes to all, Cindy

My oncologist thought my cancer was caused by taking the pills for menopause. My gyno thought it was a great little pill!
My thoughts are that it is a shame that the government doesn't, didn't and/or won't do its job in protecting all of us from the variety of carinogenic products out in the environment.

My IDC IDC, we believe was caused by 23 years of taking estrogen and progesterone for menopause. I agree I wish they could figure out a way to help us with our transition in a healthier way. I loved my 23 years with my hormones, and now I have none and my body is not happy.

I too had 20 years of HRT.
My Breast Surgeon said to me the HRT would not have caused my BC but it did feed it as my biopsy showed the 55mm tumor 100% positive for both oestrogen and progesterone.

My surgeon told me that they should never be taken unless you do gene testing to see if you have hormone receptors or not which I never did. Hope you’re doing well.!

Your dr. Is correct.

That's an incredible graphic!

I have a theory that all these environmental situations have an influence on the body. How the body then deals with it, is what does or does not cause tumours to develop. If your tumour is hormone dependent, then too much emotional stress, I believe, is very damaging. I have observed quite a few women with hormone positive breast cancers are in unhappy relationships. Any thoughts on this??

Totally can relate. I was in a terrible relationship when I was diagnosed the first time in 2007. No, a metastatic diagnosis and although my relationship isn't terrible, it is strained. I am ok with my diagnosis, but my husband deals with it differently. I think he sees me with one foot in the grave so he is depressed, so he drinks, and he has PTSD so we have a lot going on. I can understand the relation though.