Obesity, Diabetes Raise Mexico's Breast Cancer Risk Latin American Herald Tribune
go to original October 21, 2012

A new study published in the journal Cancer suggests women with the most common form of breast cancer who are overweight or obese at diagnosis have significantly higher risk of breast cancer recurrence and death. (MontefioreMedCenter)

MEXICO CITY – The obesity suffered by 30 percent of Mexico’s adult population, and diabetes, considered the principal cause of death, increase the risk of breast cancer in this country, specialist Enrique Gimenez Jimeno said.

“Glucose stimulates an insulin receptor that influences the propagation of new cells, regulates their growth and, under degenerate conditions, causes tumors,” Gimenez, head of gynecology at Angeles del Pedregal Hospital, said.

Last Friday, which was International Breast Cancer Day, the specialist joined numerous authorities in calling attention to the urgency of preventing breast cancer, which every year in this country leads to the deaths of more than 5,000 women over the age of 25.

Mexico, like many other countries, has launched campaigns to raise women’s awareness of the critical importance of preventing cancer by means of self-exams, plus massive campaigns urging them to have mammograms for the early detection of the ailment.

According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is the most common form of the disease among women worldwide, and represents 16 percent of all female cancers.

Gimenez, who has documented cases of breast cancer for 40 years, said the problem begins in women with a propensity for diabetes, who in puberty have painful menstruations, in adolescence suffer ovarian cysts and as adults encounter difficulties in becoming pregnant and during pregnancy.

He added that a large proportion of women who fail to limit their consumption of flour, despite their medical history, develop breast cancer and diabetes mellitus.

Gimenez agreed with the conclusions of a study conducted by Dr. Alan R. Gaby of Yale University in the United States and published in the medical gazette Medaus, which indicates that a diet high in flour and sugar increases the risk of breast cancer.

The Mexican specialist noted the close link between the appearance of this cancer and a diet high in carbohydrates.

He added that in postmenopausal patients, the consumption of sugar was significantly associated with the increase of tumor-inducing estrogens.

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