Sport is a great ally in preventing breast cancer

Sport is a great ally in breast cancer prevention. Therefore, on the occasion of World Day, which will take place on October 19 this year, Quironsalud Zaragoza wants raise awareness of the importance of exercise against this disease. In addition, the center remembers that periodic examinations are necessary for early detection. In 2023 approx. 35,300 new cases in Spain, which accounts for almost 30% of tumors diagnosed in women.according to the Spanish Association against Cancer (AECC).

“Scientific research shows Benefits of physical activity in reducing tumor risk“, notes Dr. Elena Aguirre, Director of the Quironsalud Zaragoza Institute of Oncology.. “For breast cancer,” he adds, “we know that this the reduction is from 20 to 25%“

What type of activity is appropriate?

For this reason, the specialist recommends a number of recommendations that will help reduce the risk of breast cancer. “Clinical guidelines as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend a type of exercise combined with 150 minutes per week. cardiovascular activitysuch as walking, running or swimming, and two strength training sessions per week about 30 minutes each.” It is advisable to follow Mediterranean dietrich in fruits and vegetables, limiting fats and avoiding alcohol.

However, there are variables that cannot be prevented, such as family history, age or gender, among others. For example, women are more likely than men to develop breast cancer.

During and after cancer

During this process, diagnosed patients also find exercise a great travel companion to mitigate side effects. “One of the main problems is astheniaextreme fatigue, which affects most women undergoing cancer treatment,” explains the doctor. In this sense Sport helps fight this fatigueimproving your quality of life and becoming an important part of your physical and emotional well-being.

“On the other hand,” he adds, “during the course of illness, physical activity has also been shown to be effective in prehabilitation, that is, during the time that elapses from diagnosis to surgery.”

After treatment, the specialist advises resuming sports as soon as possible, unless there are medical problems, as this reduces the risk of relapse of the disease and death.

Specialized assistance for early detection

According to the doctor, in recent years there are two factors that explain the increase in survival rates for breast cancer patients. “On the one side, improvement of systemic treatmentwhich reduces the likelihood of relapse. And, on the other hand, impact of early detectionbecause it allows the disease to be diagnosed at an early stage, which increases the chances of cure and facilitates less invasive treatments,” he notes.

Quirónsalud has a large team of experts in which interdisciplinary work is essential. Each step is coordinated and optimized together to offer the patient comprehensive and personalized care with constant support, always focused on his well-being and care.

For this they are necessary “tumor committees”: Periodic meetings involving both staff from various multidisciplinary units and staff from support units or various hospital services. These meetings propose an approach to each case, using all available resources in the service of the patient, using the different approaches of each specialty and taking into account his specific situation and needs.

In combination with the use of modern equipment, this scheme of work makes it possible to increase the accuracy of diagnosis and selection of the most appropriate treatment. In addition, the hospital center employs radiologists who specialize in breast diseases, which increases the effectiveness of these methods and ensures the best results.