Daily HealthBeat Tip

Weight, genes and breast cancer

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

For some women with a higher risk of getting breast cancer, getting weight down can be a way to fight back.

These women are in the minority with mutations in genes known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, which raise the risk of developing the cancer. The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, found women with BRCA mutations decreased their higher risk of cancer if they lost at least ten pounds between the ages of 18 and 30.

Steven Narod of the University of Toronto, who was senior author of the paper in the journal Breast Cancer Research, says the findings ought to apply to overweight women who have the mutation:

"For women in that category, I certainly would discuss and raise with them the possibility that they could reduce the cancer risk through weight loss." (seven seconds)

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: December 23, 2005

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