Breast cancer is the condition when cells present in breast divide rapidly and abnormally and accumulate into lumps or mass. There are many factors which are likely to contribute in development of breast cancer. Some breast cancer risk factors could be changed while some risk factors couldn’t be changed. Estrogen and progesterone are major hormones that stimulate breast cell growth, exposure to these hormones over long period of time increases risk of breast cancer.
Some breast cancer risk factors are;
1. Being female
Men could also develop breast cancer but it can happen in only 1% males. Female are more likely to develop breast cancer than male because there are more breast cells in female than male. Estrogen and progesterone hormones are more in female due to which their breast cells are constantly exposed to these hormones which increases the risk of breast cancer.
2. Increased Age
Female above 50 years are more likely to develop breast cancer than younger female because female above 50 years are more exposed to carcinogens (cancer causing agents) such as; sunlight, radiation, environmental chemicals, and carcinogenic substances in the food.
3.Family history
Breast cancer could be genetic too. The cancerous genes could be transferred from parent to offspring resulting in development of breast cancer.
4.Personal history
Cancer at one breast increases risk of developing cancer at another breast or in another part of same breast.
5. Being taller
Researchers have found that women over 5’3″ have about 10-20 % higher risk of breast cancer than women under 5’3″. Taller women have higher level of growth hormone IGF-1 (Insulin like Growth Factor-1) and other growth hormones that encourage proliferation and growth of cancerous cells.
6. Being overweight and fat
Breasts are made up of fibrous, glandular and fatty tissues. Fat women have dense breast tissues. Having more fat tissues can raise estrogen level and other hormones associated with breast cancer increasing risk to breast cancer.
7. First menstruation before age 12 and menopause after age 55
This causes longer lifetime exposure to breast cancer associated hormones thus increasing the chance of getting breast cancer.
9. Alcohol
Alcohol can increase estrogen levels and other hormones associated with breast cancer. It can also damage DNA in breast cells. Women who consume three alcoholic drinks per week have 15% higher risk of breast cancer than nondrinker.
10. Physically inactive
Physical activity helps to maintain hormonal balance and increase immune cell components so women who are not physically active are more likely to develop breast cancer.
11. First child after age 30
Breast cells grow rapidly during pregnancy. If there is damage in DNA in breast cells before pregnancy, it is copied when cells grow during pregnancy. This increased damage in genes in breast cells can lead to breast cancer. Chance of having genetic damage increases with age. Thus, women who have their first child at later age have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
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