Causes of Breast Cancer

Most women who develop breast cancer do not present a particular risk factor, except that of being a woman and getting older (especially after 50 years). Discuss your risk with your doctor.

Other possible risk factors:

    *  Having had breast cancer;

    * Family history of breast cancer (especially if the mother, sister or daughter has been diagnosed before menopause or if the presence of inherited mutations in certain genes such as BRCA1 or BRCA2);
  
    * Family history of ovarian cancer;
  
    * Exposure higher than average estrogen, hormones produced naturally by the body, among other things because you:
    

    * Have never had children or have given birth to your first child after age 30;
          

    * Had your first menstrual period at an early age;
         
    * Have reached menopause at an older age than average;
      

    * Have taken hormone replacement therapy (estrogen and progestin combined);
   
    * Dense breast tissue (proved in mammography);
    

    *  Previous biopsies showing certain breast changes, including a growing number of non-cancerous abnormal cells (atypical hyperplasia);
   
    *  radiation therapy to the breast (eg to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma), especially before the age of 30.

    * Some factors are slightly worsen the risk of breast cancer. Your personal risk could well be a bit higher if you:

    * Obese (especially after menopause);
 
    * Drink alcohol;
    

    * Taking oral contraceptives (the pill).
    
Breast cancer can sometimes grow in the absence of these risk factors. Most women affected have no family history of disease.