What you can actually control
You can't change your genes. These are the few things that do seem to move the needle, so they're worth doing anyway, not because they erase the risk, but because they're the closest thing to a lever you've got.
Move
Regular exercise is linked to meaningfully lower breast cancer risk in BRCA carriers, especially if it starts young.[1]Columbia Mailman School of Public Health: moderate physical activity lowers breast cancer risk, even in BRCA carriersThe general target is 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, or about half that if you're going hard.[2]American Cancer Society Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention
See the tips →Don't smoke
Smoking drives earlier pancreatic cancer in BRCA2 carriers and raises prostate cancer risk too.[3]Cigarette smoking drives earlier pancreatic cancer among hereditary pancreatic cancer susceptibility gene carriersQuit for about 10 years and your pancreatic cancer risk looks close to a non-smoker's again.
See the tips →Go easy on alcohol
Alcohol raises cancer risk generally. If you drink, the American Cancer Society's cutoff is two drinks a day for men, and less is better than that.[2]American Cancer Society Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention
See the tips →Watch your weight
Carrying extra weight is linked to more DNA damage and higher cancer rates in BRCA carriers.[4]Weill Cornell Medicine: obesity may exacerbate breast cancer risk in BRCA carriers (DNA damage findings)Keeping your weight steady through adulthood, rather than gaining, is the main lever here.
See the tips →This page is general information, not medical advice.
- [1] Columbia Mailman School of Public Health: moderate physical activity lowers breast cancer risk, even in BRCA carriers
- [2] American Cancer Society Guideline for Diet and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention
- [3] Cigarette smoking drives earlier pancreatic cancer among hereditary pancreatic cancer susceptibility gene carriers
- [4] Weill Cornell Medicine: obesity may exacerbate breast cancer risk in BRCA carriers (DNA damage findings)