Ditch alcohol and take up gardening to prevent breast cancer, experts say

Gloria Hunniford, who lost her daughter Caron Keating to breast cancer, at Cancer Research's virtual reality tribute garden in 2016 

Gardening in mid-life could cut the risk of breast cancer by up to 13 per cent, major research suggests.

The study - the largest in a decade - shows the lifestyle impact of diet, alcohol and exercise on the most common form of cancer in women.

Exercise was found to have the strongest protective effect, while daily drinking was found to be doing the most harm.

Just one small glass of wine a day was enough to increase the risk of the disease by nine per cent among post-menopausal women.

Last year, the chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies sparked controversy when she urged women to “do as I do” and think about the risks of breast cancer before deciding whether to have a glass of wine.

A small glass of wine a day increases the risk of breast cancer by 9 per cent in postmenopausal women, the study suggests 

More than 50,000 women a year are diagnosed with breast cancer, with one in eight women receiving a diagnosis in their lifetime.

The research by the World Cancer Research Fund examined all research worldwide on the impact of diet, weight and exercise on breast cancer.

The charity said that more than 6,000 cases of breast cancer could be prevented annually if women took at least 30 minutes exercise daily - whether it was moderate or vigorous.

Dame Sally Davies opened a debate when she urged women to 'do as i do' and think about breast cancer before deciding whether to have a glass of wine

Before the menopause, vigorous exercise such as running or fast cycling made the greatest difference. Those who did it regularly - meaning around 45 minutes a day - had a 17 per cent lower risk of breast cancer, compared to those who were least active. After menopause the impact of such exertions dropped to 10 per cent.

By this stage, turning to moderate activity - such as gardening and walking - had a greater effect, cutting the risk of breast cancer by 13 per cent, the study found.

And 12,000 cases of breast cancer could be avoided if women drunk no alcohol at all, the charity said. 

Drinking the equivalent of a small glass of wine or beer a day increased the risk by five per cent among pre-menopausal woman, and by nine per cent among those who were post-menopausal.

The charity said more than 20,000 cases of breast cancer could be prevented each year in total - if women were teetotal, active and kept a healthy weight.

Researchers from the WCRF and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) analysed 119 studies, including data on 12 million women and 260,000 cases of breast cancer.

The report also showed that obesity increases the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer, the most common type of breast cancer, and that mothers who breastfeed are at lower risk.

Researchers also linked non-starchy vegetables, dairy, diets high in calcium and foods containing carotenoids to lowering the risk of some breast cancers. Carrots, apricots, spinach and kale are all foods high in carotenoids, a group of phytonutrients studied for their health benefits.

Alice Bender, AICR's Head of Nutrition Programmes, said all women should try to boost their exercise regimes to protect against cancer:

She said: "Wherever you are with physical activity, try to nudge it up a bit, either a little longer or a little harder."

Dr Rachel Thompson, head of research interpretation at World Cancer Research Fund, said: “To help prevent breast cancer, one of the most important steps women can take is to not drink alcohol or reduce the amount of alcohol they drink.

“Maintaining a healthy weight and getting enough exercise are also important for preventing breast cancer.”

Meanwhile, scientists have found that a simple blood test could reveal whether your risk of cancer is up to 18 times higher.

Researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School said more than 5,000 cancer sufferers a year could be diagnosed months earlier, if GPs carried out checks to spot raised blood platelet counts.

They said the symptom - suffered by 2 per cent of the population - had a stronger association with cancer than key symptoms - such as breast lumps in women - which are treated with urgency.

In the general population, 1 per cent develop cancer in any one year. The study in the British Journal of General Practice found that mean who were found to have two raised platelet counts in six months had an 18 per cent chance of cancer. 

What to do to protect against breast cancer: 

Take plenty of exercise: vigorous exercise appears to have the best protective effect before the menopause - after that walking and gardening is at least as good, as long as exercise is daily

Breast feed, if you have a baby

Stay slim - obesity increases the chance of breast cancer after the menopause

What not to do:

Drink alcohol - one small glass of wine increases the risk by 5 per cent in pre-menopausal women, rising to 9 per cent after that