Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women, and its risk increases with age. Studies have shown that the risk of developing breast cancer is due to a combination of factors, with the main ones being being a woman and getting older. Most breast cancers are found in women over 50 years of age, and after sex, age is the most influential risk factor for developing breast cancer. Women under 40 account for only 4.7 percent of invasive
breast cancer
diagnoses and only 3.6 percent of in situ breast cancer diagnoses.Other factors that can increase the risk of breast cancer include having a family history of the disease, dense breast tissue, lower amounts of physical activity, and exposure to certain chemicals or hormones.Research suggests that lifestyle factors such as smoking and working night shifts may also increase the risk of breast cancer. In addition, white women are more likely to develop breast cancer than black women, but among women under 45, the disease is more common in black women than in white women.It is important to note that there is no single cause of breast cancer. The underlying cause is a combination of internal or hormonal exposures, lifestyle factors, environmental factors and normal physiology, such as DNA replication. If you have risk factors for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about ways you can reduce your risk and about screening for breast cancer.Different services and information are needed at different points in breast health care and breast cancer treatment.
For example, raloxifene may be an option after age 35 when there is an increased risk of breast cancer, and after menopause. It is also important to learn basic facts about the structure and function of breasts and how to differentiate between the different types and stages of breast cancer.The good news is that due to advances in diagnosis and treatment, the number of new breast cancers diagnosed has dropped substantially. However, it is still important to be aware of the risk factors for developing this type of cancer so that you can take steps to reduce your risk.
