Risk factors of breast cancer
Why do people get breast cancer?
Across all the people who get
it, there’s no single reason why breast cancer occurs. Any one person’s risk of
the disease is affected by various things—some of which can be changed, and some
of which cannot.
Breast cancer risk factors you can’t change:
- Being female: Breast cancer is about 100 times more common in women
than in men
- Age: Cancer risk goes up with time. About 2 out of 3 women with
invasive breast cancer are age 55 or older
- Genetics: Some 5% to 10% of breast cancers may be associated with
genetic mutations
- Family history: Having a close blood relative who’s experienced
breast cancer increases a woman’s risk of getting the disease. However, as many
as 8 out of 10 women with breast cancer don't have a family history
- Race: Caucasian women are slightly more likely to get breast cancer
than are African-American women. Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian women
have a lower risk of getting breast cancer
Breast cancer risk factors you can change:
- Alcohol use: Women who have 2 to 5 drinks a day have about 1.5
times the breast cancer risk of women who don't drink. Having 1 drink a day poses
a very small increased risk
- Excess weight: Being overweight or obese is linked to higher breast
cancer risk, especially for women who have gone through menopause and for those
who carry extra fat around the waist
- Inactivity: Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of getting
breast cancer
How can a person’s genetic background affect her
cancer risk?
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