Managing Your Menopause Type^® Educational Class

Session Three - Your Risks of Disease

Cancer Risks

The major cancers related to the reproductive system are breast cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer. These cancers are largely hormone dependent, meaning that if they do occur, the presence of hormones may increase their growth or invasiveness. The degree of increased risk per passing year is lower in postmenopausal women who have not been given hormone replacement therapies for hormone dependent cancers. However, the risks for breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer still persists, and must still be given consideration when doing disease risk assessment.

The non-reproductive system cancers, such as lung cancer and colon cancer, appear to be less dependent on hormones. The degree of increased risk per passing year age is higher for non-hormone dependent cancers such as colon, lung and stomach. With each passing year there is a greater chance of having one of these cancers.

Because of the increasing risks for non-hormone dependent cancers and the persisting risks of breast, endometrial and ovarian cancer, there is an increasing opinion that screening for cancer should be a routine part of women’s health and menopause management.

It's important to understand that "cancer tests" are not quite the same as hormone tests or cardiovascular disease tests. While a serum cholesterol test can be directly interpreted as being "too high" and therapies can be chosen, blood tests for cancer do not provide a definitive diagnosis. There are things that can give "false positive", meaning that the test says you have cancer in a tissue, but after surgery no cancer was found. Likewise, there may be a "false negative", meaning that the test says you do not have cancer, but cancer shows up anyway.

For this reason, "cancer tests" are considered as either screening tests, which have to be confirmed by further examination and evaluation. However, there are some tests that should be done routinely in women. These include:

Mammography - breast cancer risk.

2-OH-E1 : 16 a-OH-E1 Ratio* - breast cancer risk.

PAP Smear - cervical / uterine cancer risk.

Occult Blood - colon cancer risk.

* 2-OH-E1 : 16 a-OH-E1 Ratio (2-hydroxyestrone to 16-alpha-hydroxyestrone ratio analysis) A low ratio (low 2-OH-E1 compared to 16 a-OH-E1) is associated with increased risk for breast cancer, and possibly other cancers. This test is available in either urine or blood.

Though screening for cancer by testing serum levels of tumor markers has not become routine yet, there is, as noted, an increasing opinion that these tests are a valuable component of health assessment and disease management.

Here is a list of tests used for cancer screening and cancer risk assessment.

These screens and risk assessments include physical biomarkers such as imaging tests (X-rays, ultrasound or thermal imaging), as well as endoscopic tests (colonoscopy) and cytological tests (PAP smear). Biochemical biomarkers include serum, urine and stool tests.

CANCER

Physical Biomarkers of Cancer

Biochemical Biomarkers of Cancer

Breast

Mammography, Thermography

CEA, CA-15-3
2-OH-estrone to 16 a-OH-estrone Ratio

Uterine
Cervical

Papanicolau Test (PAP Smear)

Pelvic ultrasound

Ovarian

Pelvic ultrasound,

CA-125

Lung

Chest x-ray

CA 19-9, CA 15-3

Colon

Sigmoidoscopy (colonoscopy)

Occult blood (in stool), CA 242, CEA

General Screens

UltraFast CT scan

CA 19-9 (pancreas & GI system)

AFP (liver cancer)

What this means to you

Knowing your risk for cancer will allow you to make choices to decrease those risks.

At a minimum, yearly PAP smear, yearly mammography (with clinical breast exam), and yearly occult blood screening should be done. Consider that a minimum standard of care. With the advent of 2-OH-E1 : 16-a-OH-E1 ratio analysis, it is my personal belief that the testing of how your body metabolizes estrogen (which can influence your risk of cancer) will soon be a standard of care as well.

To decrease you risk of cancer, begin with the basics; regular exercise, a healthy diet with nutritional support, and proper elimination. Focus on controlling oxidative stress by using antioxidants, managing proper cellular metabolism by taking additional Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid supplements, (Nutrient Dosages) and maintaining proper estrogen metabolism by taking an indole-3-carbinol supplement. Indole-3-carbinol (I-3-C) is naturally found in cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, and may decrease the risks of cancers associated with abnormal estrogen metabolism.

Oxidative stress may be one cause for increased risk for cancer.

Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid deficiencies have been associated with abnormal cellular metabolism (poor methylation for you biochemists) which may cause increased risk of some cancers. Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid deficiencies have been associated with abnormal cellular metabolism (poor methylation for you biochemists) which may cause increased risk of some cancers.

Improper estrogen metabolism is associated with increased risk for breast cancer, and possibly other cancers.

What's Next?

Choices to Decrease the Risk of Osteoporosis, Heart Disease & Cancer

The Managing Your Menopause Type® Educational Class is provided to the public without charge. This information is provided for education purposes only, and is not intended to prescribe treatment. Consult a physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition.