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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffA risk factor is anything that makes it more likely you'll get a particular disease. But having one or even several risk factors doesn't necessarily mean you'll develop cancer — most women with breast cancer have no known risk factors other than simply being women.
Things that can increase your risk of breast cancer include:
- Being female. Women are much more likely than men are to develop breast cancer.
- Increasing age. Your risk of breast cancer increases as you age. Women older than 60 have a greater risk than do younger women.
- A personal history of breast cancer. If you've had breast cancer in one breast, you have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast.
- A family history of breast cancer. If you have a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer, you have a greater chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Still, the majority of people diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease.
- Inherited genes that increase cancer risk. Certain gene mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer can be passed from parents to children. The most common gene mutations are referred to as BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers, but they don't make cancer inevitable.
- Radiation exposure. If you received radiation treatments to your chest as a child or young adult, you're more likely to develop breast cancer later in life.
- Obesity. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of breast cancer.
- Beginning your period at a younger age. Beginning your period before age 12 increases your risk of breast cancer.
- Beginning menopause at an older age. If you began menopause after age 55, you're more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Having your first child at an older age. Women who give birth to their first child after age 35 may have an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Postmenopausal hormone therapy. Women who take hormone therapy medications that combine estrogen and progesterone to treat the signs and symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol may increase the risk of breast cancer.
References
- Cancer facts & figures 2008. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/2008CAFFfinalsecured.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- What you need to know about breast cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast/allpages/print. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Abeloff MD, et al. Cancer of the breast. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1875.
- Breast cancer. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/breast.pdf. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Breast cancer prevention (PDQ): Patient version. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/breast/patient/allpages/print. Accessed March 30, 2009.
- Questions to ask yourself and your doctor. Breast Cancer Network of Strength. http://www.networkofstrength.org/support/selfcare/questions.php. Accessed April 1, 2009.
- Hulvat MC, et al. Multidisciplinary care of patients with breast cancer. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2009;89:133.
- Avastin (prescribing information). San Francisco, Calif: Genentech; 2008. http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2008/125085s145lbl.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Tykerb (prescribing information). Research Triangle Park, N.C.: GlaxoSmithKline; 2007. http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2008/022059s004lbl.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Found 1084 studies with search of: breast cancer | Open studies | Interventional studies. ClinicalTrials.gov. http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=breast+cancer&recr=Open&rslt=&type=Intr&cond=&intr=&outc=&lead=&spons=&id=&state1=&cntry1=&state2=&cntry2=&state3=&cntry3=&locn=&rcv_s=&rcv_e=&lup_s=&lup_e=. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Gnant M, et al. Endocrine therapy plus zoledronic acid in premenopausal breast cancer. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:679.
- Bardwell WA, et al. Breast cancer and fatigue. Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2008;3:61.
- Cancer-related fatigue. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/fatigue.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2009.
- Breast cancer. Cancer.Net. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Breast+Cancer. Accessed April 15, 2009.
