BREAST CYSTS

BENIGN BUT PAINFUL LUMPS characterise the most common form of non-cancerous breast disease: long-term cystic mastitis, also known as fibrocystic breast disease. It affects one in five women, typically those in their thirties and forties. It often subsides after the menopause.

Because breast tissue is very sensitive to hormonal changes, it can enlarge and thicken by as much as half, then shrink again by the same amount, at various times during the menstrual cycle. Normally, fluid from the breast tissue is collected and transported out of the breasts by means of the lymphatic system. If there is more fluid than the lymphatic system can handle, small spaces in breast tissue may fill with this fluid and form cysts. These pockets of fluid can appear alone or in clusters. Although cysts are not in themselves considered dangerous, they can make it harder to detect a possible cancerous lesion or lump. If you suspect that you have a cyst, you should have it checked by your doctor - both for your health and for your peace of mind.

Medical treatment for breast cysts sometimes involves inserting a needle into one of the cysts to withdraw a sample of fluid for tests. Often, draining the cyst can prevent its return in the future. Other treatment options are hormone drugs and surgical removal of the cyst.

A DIET FOR BREAST HEALTH

Women who develop breast cysts may find that changing their diets can ease a lot of the pain and swelling associated with the cysts. Concentrate on low-fat, high-fibre foods, with lots of raw foods, seeds, nuts and grains. Use olive oil in place of saturated fats. Fresh bananas, apples, grapes, grapefruit, fresh vegetables and yogurt (check the label to see if a product contains live cultures) are all good foods to include.

Soya-based foods, such as tofu, are highly recommended because they contain isoflavones. These compounds help neutralise excess oestrogen so your body can filter it out. Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts contain another class of chemicals called indoles. They also work to protect breast tissue from excess oestrogen. Finally, the culinary immune-boosters garlic, onions and shiitake mushrooms may help keep your whole system operating healthfully.

Avoid alcohol; also refrain from drinking coffee, tea and other caffeine-containing foods and beverages. Cut down on dairy products and animal meats, along with the hydrogenated fats found in margarine and the saturated ones that pack fried foods. Salt, sugar and white flour are also enemies - so leave out processed biscuits, crackers and cakes.

You can take several supplements to help speed the shrinking of breast cysts.

Vitamin E. This skin-boosting vitamin also protects breast tissue because of its antioxidant ability and it helps keep hormones in balance. Clinical studies have found that breast tenderness and cysts dramatically improved with vitamin E therapy.
Typical dosage: 800 to 1,200 IU daily of D-alpha­tocopherol.

Vitamin A. The vision vitamin also helps to keep breast ducts functioning properly and scavenges for damaging molecules called free radicals in breast tissue. Studies have shown its ability to reduce breast pain.
Typical dosage: 15,000 IU daily.
Caution: if you are pregnant, do not exceed 10,000 I U daily.

Isoflavones. These are the same compounds found in tofu and soya-based foods. They have the ability to protect breast tissue from the formation of tumours. Typical dosage: 20 to 40 milligrams daily (including 6 to 12 milligrams of genistein, one of the key isoflavones).

Indoles. These are the cyst- and tumour-fighting phytochemicals in cabbage-family vegetables. Now available in capsule form, they are new enough that practitioners haven't formed a consensus on dosage. Take them as recommended by your practitioner or by the manufacturer.

DRUG TREATMENT

Hormone-based Drugs
Danazol (Danol).
Function: shrinks breast lumps by decreasing levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone, thereby reducing oestrogen production.
Side effects: weight gain, acne, increased body and facial hair, voice changes, menstrual disturbances, and reversible liver dysfunction.

Oral contraceptives (Norimin, BiNovum, many others).
Function: reduce both size and occurrence of cysts by minimising hormone fluctuations and reducing overall levels of oestrogen.
Side effects: nausea, weight gain, bloating, increased risk of blood clots.

HERBAL REMEDIES

Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis)
Oil from this plant's seed contains essential fatty acids that have natural anti­prostaglandin properties, which may help to reduce breast lumps. Prostaglandins are a group of chemicals that the body produces; some of them favour inflammation and are believed to contribute to breast cysts. Studies have found that women reporting breast tenderness responded well to evening primrose oil therapy.
Typical dosage: 1,500 milligrams in capsules two times per day.

Agnus Castus (Vitex agnus-castus)
Also known as chaste berry, agnus castus boosts progesterone production, helping to correct oestrogen-progesterone imbalances that can be at fault in breast cysts.
Typical dosage: 200 milligrams standardised to 5 per cent agnuside content per day; or up to three non-standardised 650-milligram capsules per day; or 15 to 40 drops of tincture per day; or 1 cup of tea per day (steep a scant teaspoon of dried, ground berries in %litre of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes).
Caution: do not use if you are pregnant or while taking hormone replacement therapy.

Butcher's Broom (Ruscus aculeatus)
This bushy perennial contains chemicals that are related to diosgenin, the hormone-like component of wild yam. It may help to inhibit the inflammatory processes in the breasts that lead to the formation of cysts.
Typical dosage: 100 milligrams of product standardised to 10 per cent saponins, one to three times per day; for non-standardised products, take 400 milligrams or two to six capsules per day.
Caution: do not use if you have high blood pressure.

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
This herb is an important tonic or general health-booster in Ayurvedic medicine.
Typical dosage: 250 milligrams of product standardised to 10 per cent triterpenes, two or three times per day; or up to eight 400- to 500-milligram capsules of non-standardised product per day; or 20 to 40 drops of tincture up to twice per day; or 1 cup of tea per day (steep 1 teaspoon of dried herb in 1/4 litre of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes).

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
This herb seems to reduce the fluctuation of oestrogen and its influence on the breast. Black cohosh is also credited with regulating hormones.
Typical dosage: 500 milligrams of product standardised to 0.2 per cent triterpenes, one to three times per day.
Caution: do not take while pregnant.

Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
This herb has a significant anti-inflammatory effect that helps reduce inflammation of the breast. It also can help regulate oestrogen influence on the breast.
Typical dosage: 160 milligrams in capsules standardised to 85 to 95 per cent fatty acid content, two times per day.