Symptoms and Risk Factors For Breast Cancer You Need To Know PART 1

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women. Most women who get cancer (80%) are over 50, but younger women, and in rare cases, men, can also get breast cancer.

Breast cancer can be prevented from spreading to other parts of the body, if diagnosed and treated early enough.

Risk factors:

However, there are risk factors that are known to affect your likelihood of developing breast cancer. Some of these you can't do anything about, but there are some you can change.

Previous diagnosis of breast cancer:

Anyone with previous history of breast cancer or abnormal cell changes in breast ducts, will have a higher risk of developing it. Sometimes it could be in the other breast or same breast again.

Density Of Breast Tissue:

Women with dense breast tissue may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer because there are more cells that can become cancerous. Younger women tend to have denser breasts. As you get older, the amount of glandular tissue in your breasts decreases and is replaced by fat, so your breasts become less dense.

Previous benign breast lump:

Benign breast lump is not the same as having breast cancer, but certain types of lump may slightly increase your risk of developing it. Sometimes, benign changes in your breast tissue like cells growing abnormally in ducts, or abnormal cells inside your breast lobes, can increase your chances of having breast cancer.

Family history:

Women who have close relatives who have had breast cancer or ovarian cancer, may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Since breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, it's possible for it to occur in more than one family member by chance.

However, most cases of breast cancer don't run in families, having genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, can increase your risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer. There is possibility for these genes to be passed on from a parent to their child.

 For example, two or more close relatives from the same side of your family, such as your mother, sister or daughter, who have had breast cancer under the age of 50, will need surveillance for breast cancer or for genetic screening to look for the genes that make developing breast cancer more likely. It is good to discuss with your doctor if you have any concerns about family history of breast cancer.