Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is influenced by a variety of risk factors, some of which are within a person’s control while others are not. Understanding these factors can help with early detection and prevention.

• Age: The risk of developing breast cancer increases as a person gets older, particularly after the age of 50.
• Gender: Although men can develop breast cancer, it is far more common in women.
• Family History: A family history of breast cancer, especially in close relatives like a mother, sister, or daughter, increases the risk. Inherited genetic mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2 also heighten the risk.
• Personal History: Women who have had breast cancer in one breast have a higher risk of developing it in the other breast or a different area.
• Genetic Mutations: Certain inherited gene mutations (such as BRCA1 and BRCA2) significantly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers.
• Hormonal Factors: Long-term exposure to estrogen, such as early menstruation (before age 12), late menopause (after age 55), or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), increases the risk.

• Lifestyle Factors:
  • Alcohol consumption: Excessive alcohol intake increases the risk of breast cancer.
  • Obesity: Being overweight, particularly after menopause, can raise the risk.
  • Lack of physical activity: Sedentary lifestyles are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
• Reproductive History: Women who have not had children or who had their first child after age 30 may have a slightly higher risk. Breastfeeding, on the other hand, lowers the risk.
• Radiation Exposure: Previous exposure to radiation therapy, particularly to the chest, increases the risk of developing breast cancer.