Symptoms and Risk Factors For Breast Cancer You Need To Know PART 2

 Age:

 Risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. It is most common among women over 50 who have been through the menopause. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 50.

Women who are 50-70 years of age are advised to go for breast cancer screening every three years.

Overweight and Obesity

Women who have passed through the menopause and are overweight or obese, are more likely at risk of developing breast cancer. It is believed to be linked to the amount of oestrogen in your body, because being overweight or obese after the menopause leads to more production oestrogen.

Exposure to Oestrogen:

For example, if you started your periods at a young age and experienced the menopause at a late age, you'll have been exposed to oestrogen over a longer period of time. Likewise, not having children, or having children later in life, may slightly increase your risk of developing breast cancer because your exposure to oestrogen is uninterrupted by pregnancy.

Exposure To Radiation

Exposure to medical procedures that use radiation, such as X-rays and CT scans, may slightly increase your risk of developing breast cancer.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer. Both combined HRT and oestrogen-only HRT can increase your risk of developing breast cancer, although the risk is slightly higher if you take combined HRT.

The longer you take HRT the higher the risk, but returns to normal once you stop taking it.

Height (Tall)

Women who are taller than average are more likely to develop breast cancer than someone who's shorter than average. The link between this is not fully clear but it may be due to interactions between genes, nutrition and hormones.

Alcohol Intake

Your risk of developing breast cancer can increase with the amount of alcohol you drink. Research shows that for every 200 women who regularly have two alcoholic drinks a day, there are three more women with breast cancer, compared with women who don't drink at all.

Long Term Use Of  Contraceptive Pill

It has been shown that women who use oral contraception pill have significant, and increased risk of developing breast cancer.

However, the risk starts to decrease once you stop taking the pill, your risk of developing breast cancer will return to normal ten years after you have stopped taking it.

Breast Cancer Symptoms:

The most common symptom noticed is an area of thickened tissue in the breast or breast lump. However, breast pain is not usually a symptom of breast cancer.

Interestingly, most lumps are not cancerous. However, it is best to see your doctor for proper check.

If you notice the following:

• Thickened tissue in either breast or Lump
• Rash on your nipple or around it
• Swelling or Lump in your armpits
• Any change in the appearance of your nipples, where it sinks into your breast.
• Changes in the shape or size of one or both breast.
• Any dimpling on the skin of your breast
• Abnormal discharge from one or both nipples usually streaked with blood

See your doctor for proper check to address your concerns.