The cells surrounding the blood vessels, the so-called pericytes play a key role in the formation of the blood-brain barrier, scientists from the USA and Sweden report in two papers published in the weekly Nature.
Researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center studied over 85. women (aged 50 to 79). They searched for a relationship between lifestyle and breast cancer risk in women with and without a family history of breast cancer.
According to statistics, about 15 percent. Postmenopausal women have a genetic predisposition to develop breast cancer.
According to the authors of the study, the occurrence of breast cancer in the family may be partially related to the unhealthy lifestyle passed down from generation to generation. However, the researchers wanted to find out to what extent the development of the disease is influenced by the genes, environment and lifestyle of women.
Their work proves that a healthy lifestyle can help minimize the risk even in women with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer.
It turned out that if women – with a family history of breast cancer – exercised at least 5 times a week, maintained a healthy weight and drank no more than one alcoholic drink a day, on average less than 6 in 1000 of them developed breast cancer.
For comparison, in the group of women without family (genetic) burden, but also without healthy habits, the average incidence was almost 7 per 1000 women; and if the veins were healthy (according to the three examined parameters), the incidence rate was 3,51 per 1000.
According to the researchers, introducing healthy habits can significantly lower the risk of developing breast cancer, regardless of the genetic burden. (PAP)