What are some risk factors associated with
breast cancer?
(A risk factor is anything that increases
your chance of getting a disease.)
- Risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Older age.
- Menstruating at an early age.
- Older age at first birth or never having given birth.
- A personal history of benign (noncancer) breast disease.
- A mother or sister with breast cancer.
- Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.
- Breast tissue that is dense on a mammogram.
- Taking hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.
- Drinking alcoholic beverages.
- Being white.
- Mutations on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
Can breast cancer be prevented?
- There is no sure way to completely prevent breast cancer.
However, there are certain things one can do to help prevent breast cancer,
including:
- Avoiding alcohol.
- Exercising regularly.
- Maintaining a healthy body weight.
- Breast feeding for several months after the birth of a child.
- Prognosis (chance of recovery) is at it's highest when breast cancer is
detected in it's earliest stages.
- Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram (an x-ray of the breast)every year
and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good
health.
- Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE)
as part of a periodic (regular) health exam by a health
professional preferably every 3 years. After age 40, women
should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.
- Breast self exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.
Women should be told about the benefits and limitations of BSE.
Women should report any breast changes to their health
professional right away.
