are you at risk

What are the Risk Factors for Breast Cancer?

Factors that cannot be modified but contributing to risk are.

Gender: Women are more likely to develop breast cancer; probably due to increased exposure to hormones.

Age: Risk increases with increasing age; the median age of presentation is 40-50 years.

Family History: Risk increases if you have immediate family members with breast cancer especially at young age. Risk is increased by two fold for first degree relatives.

Genetic Factors: BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutations make you susceptible for development of breast cancer; usually in young women and also at increased risk for ovarian cancer.

Menstrual history: Attaining menarche at early age and menopause at older age increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

Factors that can be modified but contributing to risk are :

Obesity: Increases the risk of breast cancer due to excessive fat-causing hormonal imbalance.

Pregnancy: Women who have never been pregnant have a higher risk than those who did. Older age at first pregnancy also increases the risk.

Lactation: Women who do not lactate have a higher risk.

Alcohol Consumption increases the risk of breast cancer.

Consumption of contraceptive pills increases the risk; stopping them reduces the risk.

Receiving radiation to the chest area as a child or young adult increases the risk of breast cancer.