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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 28, 2017)
6 B SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2017 TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer DEAR DR. ROACH: You have written about screening for breast can- cer, but are there any ways to prevent breast cancer in the fi rst place? -- T.C. ANSWER: There are three behav- iors that are well-accepted to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Breastfeeding is one, and it’s so good for the baby that we might forget that it has long- term advantages for moms, but add reducing the mother’s breast cancer risk to the list. The second is dietary phytoestrogens, compounds such as soy isofl avones and lignans, which are found in soybeans and other legumes. This data is most clear among Asian women. Finally, regular physical exer- cise reduces breast cancer risk, espe- cially for women after menopause. Other dietary factors, such as a SALOME’S STARS ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Lots of mixed signals can create an unreli- able situation in which to make deci- sions. Best advice: Hold off on making any commitments until you’re sure you know what’s going on. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) An apparently friendly off er comes with some strings attached. Be careful not to get tied into something you don’t real- ly want. Th oroughly examine all your options before making a choice. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) If you’re not careful, distractions can interrupt your best eff orts. Continue to focus on what you need to do. You’ll soon have lots of time to enjoy the rewards of your dedication. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Knowledge replaces suspicion as you diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in meat and saturated fat, may reduce risk of breast cancer, but this isn’t proven. Studies are ongoing to examine whether vitamin D or omega 3 fatty acids may reduce risk, as sug- gested in previous studies. For high-risk women, consider chemoprophylaxis with a SERM or aromatase inhibitor, and also a more- intensive screening program. DEAR DR. ROACH: I went to my ENT doctor in January complaining of muffl ed hearing and a loud, high- pitched noise in my left ear. He gave me a hearing test, and it showed 50 percent loss. I had an MRI and was told that I have an acoustic neuroma on my left side. This has caused me to go 50 percent deaf in my ear. The ENT doctor wants me to wait six months and see if it grows more, which I don’t want to do because I feel it should be taken out while it is small. The choices I have are to watch and wait; to have traditional surgery; or to have surgery with gamma knife or cyber knife. I would really like to just get this done and have it taken out before it causes more problems, like affecting my facial nerve, balance nerve or if it gets too close to my brain stem. I also am worried that I may go completely deaf. I am getting a second opinion next month from a neurosur- geon. What are your thoughts on all of this? -- B.D. ANSWER: An acoustic neuroma, also called a vestibular schwanno- ma, is a type of non-cancerous tumor on the eighth cranial nerve, which is responsible for hearing and balance. These tumors usually are treated, although some authorities recommend a watch-and-wait approach if they aren’t bothering the patient, if the patient is a poor candidate for surgery or if the patient is otherwise reluctant. None of these seems to apply to you, so I would recommend proceeding with the second opinion, the neu- rosurgeon, whom I think is likely to recommend treatment. Progressive hearing loss is a clear indication that treatment likely would be benefi cial sooner rather than later. All the treatments you mentioned are reasonable. Cyber knife and gamma knife are ways of delivering radiation to the tumor. Since any of these can achieve the goal of prevent- ing the tumor’s growth and any wors- ening of symptoms, the choice should be left to the expert. begin to learn more about that “act of betrayal.” On a lighter note, someone close to you might be planning a pleas- ant surprise. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Control your sometimes-overactive jealousy gene before you fi nd yourself saying or doing something that you could later regret. Best advice: Stop obsessing and move on. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) It’s a good time to loosen up and do something wonderful and exciting before your more reserved nature resur- faces. A message brings news of immi- nent change. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Cheer up. Th ings begin to improve sig- nifi cantly by mid-February. However, you might still need help to get through the rest of this sometimes-diffi cult peri- od. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Something you learned last week takes on new meaning as you begin to relate it to another situation in your life. It’s best to keep this matter to yourself for now. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Your energy level is climbing, and so is your self-confi dence. Good for you, because you’ll need a good dollop of both to tackle an exciting challenge on the way. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A family issue might inter- rupt a career-linked project. Try to give the matter the attention it needs, but be careful not to jeopardize your workplace situation. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Some self-doubt shows up this week, causing you to question your ability to handle a new challenge. But you know you can do it, and this is your chance to prove it. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) A personal matter requires you to be as clear and forthcoming as possible in order to avoid misunderstandings. A career move is eased with the emergence of new facts. Siuslaw N ews ! AD IT DAY E R TO www. the siuslawnews.com E -E DITION • S PORTS • T OP S TORIES • O BITUARIES • W EATHER • F ORUMS • B LOGS
