How to Reduce Your Risk for Breast Cancer: Everything You Need to Know w/Dr. Zia Poonja FP5 Ep. 116

Lindsay Dixon interviews Dr. Zia Poonja who is an Oncologist practicing in British Columbia, Canada. This interview focuses on the latest advances in breast cancer prevention and diagnostics, (including genetic factors detectable through screening), as well as how breast cancer is classified and what treatment options are currently available. Dr. Poonja's passion lies in preventing diseases before they arise. He founded a company called Healthspan in 2021 to offer patients the latest insights in the preventative medicine landscape which we discuss briefly during the interview. Dr. Poonja completed his undergraduate and medical training at the University of Saskatchewan. He received his residency in Internal Medicine from the University of Alberta and a Medical Oncology fellowship from the University of British Columbia. He has been practicing oncology at BC Cancer - Vancouver Island Center for the past 8 years. He is actively involved in clinical trials, research and medical education. He loves being a proud father of two children, discussing health optimization and powerlifting. It is my hope that you come away from this interview feeling empowered to better evaluate your own personal risk and implement effective measures that will reduce your risk for developing breast cancer. There is so much we can do to reduce our risk, and in my opinion this preventative approach is not discussed nearly enough in the current healthcare landscape. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I did! Please share this interview widely. Knowledge is power, and lives could be saved from hearing this important message. BEST Book on Evidence-based Healthy Aging: Healthy Logic: https://amzn.to/3whGOED (Amazon Affiliate Link) CHAPTERS: 00:00 Personal risk and breast cancer 02:00 Dr. Poonja’s clinical work and research focus 05:00 The Importance of Preventing Disease 06:06 Are breast cancer rates increasing? 07:23 Evolution of mammography as a diagnostic screening tool 08:40 Modifiable and Non-modifiable risk factors for breast cancer 09:30 BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations as a risk factor for breast cancer 09:45 How does family history impact Breast Cancer Risk? 10:39 Lifestyle and dietary risk factors for breast cancer 11:15 How often should you have a mammogram? (Current recommendations and reasoning) 14:20 What types of Breast Cancer are there? 17:55 Genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations 20:55 ctDNA cancer detection through blood tests 22:57 Is Immunotherapy used for breast cancer? 24:13 How does immunotherapy work? 25:39 How does alcohol acts as a carcinogen? 29:30 Medications for Primary Prevention of Breast Cancer 31:55 Top signs and symptoms of breast cancer 33:12 Is there a link between breast cancer and ovarian cancer? 33:46 Post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and breast cancer 36:27 Soy as a phytoestrogen and breast cancer risk 37:10 How to prevent a future breast cancer diagnoses 39:13 How is breast density as a risk for breast cancer? Friendly Pharmacy 5 is sponsored by Heart Pharmacy. Sign-up for their newsletter HERE! www.heartpharmacy.com/newsletter. RESOURCES: Dr. Poonja's Passion Project HEALTHSPAN: https://www.myhealthspan.co The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (NIH): https://bcrisktool.cancer.gov CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY: https://cancer.ca/en/ CONTACT: WEBSITE: www.friendlypharmacy5.com MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected] FOLLOW ALONG ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR INFOGRAPHICS AND ADDITONAL CONTENT: https://www.facebook.com/FriendlyPharmacy5https://www.instagram.com/friendlypharmacy5/?hl=enhttps://twitter.com/LindsayDixonFP5https://www.tiktok.com/@friendlypharmacy5 SUBSCRIBE TO THE FP5 YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/c/FriendlyPharmacy5 DISCLAIMER: Friendly Pharmacy 5 medical videos are for medical education, and are NOT intended to replace recommendations from your doctor. #breastcancerawareness #breastcancerprevention #cancerprevention #breastcancersymptoms