Promoting breast health and cancer prevention.
There is no proven method of determining if a woman will develop breast cancer. But there are ways to evaluate risk factors. Simply defined, a risk factor is any action, family background, lifestyle, genetic makeup or other trait or characteristic that increases your odds of contracting breast cancer. It is important to remember that although risk factors may increase your chances of developing the disease, not everyone with risk factors will have breast cancer, while other women with few or no risk factors will develop it. Better understanding of your risk factors and developing a strong line of communication with your physician can help you to make smart lifestyle and health choices that can lead to your healthiest possible outcomes.
Take a closer look at the risk factors that are out of your control, plus others that you can minimize by making smart choices. By understanding these collective risk factors, and by practicing regular self- and physician-exams as well as annual mammograms after 40 years, you will give yourself every possible opportunity for a life free from breast cancer.
To watch SSM Breast Care's Dr. Hilary Shapiro-Wright talk about the importance of knowing your risk, click here.
Risk factors that cannot be controlled
- Gender: Being a woman places you in a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Unlike men, women have many more breast cells and these cells are constantly exposed to growth-promoting female hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone.
- Age: As you age increases, so does your chance of developing breast cancer. Two out of every three invasive breast cancers are diagnosed in women who are 55 or older.
- Race: Caucasian women are more likely to develop breast cancer. However, African American women are at greater odds of dying from the disease.
- Previous history of breast cancer: If you have had breast cancer, you are three to four times more likely than the average woman to develop breast cancer in the opposite breast.
- Family history of breast cancer: If you have a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter), you are at increased risk for developing breast cancer. If you have more than one first-degree relative who has experienced breast cancer, you are at even greater risk.
- History of ovarian cancer: Breast cancer gene mutations, including breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2) are thought to increase the risk of both ovarian and breast cancers.
- Genetic predisposition: Mutations to the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are associated with increased breast cancer risk. However, researchers estimate that only 2% to 3% of all breast cancers are caused by these genes.
- Exposure to estrogen: Physicians believe that prolonged exposure to estrogen may increase breast cancer risk. Therefore, women who began menstruating before age 12, went through menopause after age 55, or experience their first pregnancy after age 30 may be at higher risk.
- Medical conditions of the breast: Medical conditions such as atypical hyperplasia (abnormal but non-cancerous breast cells) and lobular carcinoma (abnormal cells found in the lobules or glands of the breast) have been shown to increase cancer risk.
Risk factors that can be controlled
- Obesity: Studies indicate that being overweight increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.
- Tobacco use: Numerous studies have linked smoking and tobacco use to breast cancer.
- Inactivity: Lack of exercise can result in obesity, while a consistent exercise routine lowers hormone levels and boost the immune system.
- Alcohol use: Consuming more than one alcoholic beverage a day may increase the risks of breast cancer.
- Diet: Certain sugar substitutes and high-fat diets may increase risks of breast cancer.