Leading Risk Factors Of Breast Cancer

The most common cancer amongst women worldwide, breast cancer is one of the confusing diseases in terms of risk factors.

To date, thousands of studies have been conducted on the disease, and while chances of complete treatment of breast cancer have risen due to research and development of cures, identifying the chances of a person getting breast cancer from their lifestyle is still tricky.

The reason being: there are a number of factors that contribute to breast. A person’s lifestyle may involve many of these and they would be cancer-free, while another person whose lifestyle includes one of these will be diagnosed with breast cancer. There’s no certainty.

However, awareness of risks should never go unaddressed. These are the leading risks factors of breast cancer:

• Aging

Although people as young as 15 years old have been diagnosed with breast cancer, the chances of the disease and the level of its invasiveness are common amongst women over 55.

• Dense Breast Tissue

A higher ratio of breast tissue—which comprises the milk glands and ducts and supportive tissue—increases your risk of breast cancer as well as the difficulty of its diagnosis; mammograms become harder to read.

• Gene Mutations

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes inhuman that produce proteins for repair of damaged DNA. Women with either one of these genes in a mutated/altered form are at risk of breast cancer; the mutated gene leads to improper repair of damage to the DNA.

• Family History

People with a family history of breast cancer are advised to stay on high alert and get early checkups because there is a good chance that breast cancer is their inherited health risk.

• Early Menstruation  

Menstrual cycles conventionally begin at ages 12-13 or over. If you had your first period before 12, you are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer.

• Late Menopause 

Menopause itself does not cause cancer, but the health processes associated with late menopause, such as extended estrogen exposure, may lead to development of breast cancer.

• Advanced Maternal Age 

Late-age births (ages 35 and over) are associated with increased risk of various birthing and health complications, breast cancer being one of them.

• No Pregnancy 

Women who have had preterm pregnancies or never became pregnant are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer.

• Alcohol Consumption

Drinking excessive alcohol affects cell and tissue growth, and may increase risk of breast cancer.

• Hormonal Medications

The use of medications with estrogen, progesterone and other hormone, such as postmenopausal medications, is associated with increased risk of breast cancer.

Some of these risk factors are unavoidable, such as genetics and family history. Other risk factors, you can control. Awareness and action are both imperative, not just in terms of managing risk of breast cancer, but any disease.

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