What are the Risk Factors?
Women with certain risk factors may be more likely to develop breast cancer than others. Some common factors include:
Age and gender: Your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older. Women over the age of 50 make up the majority of advanced breast cancer cases.
Family history: If you have a family history of breast, uterine, ovarian, or colon cancers, you have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Genes: Some women have genes that make them more likely to develop breast cancer. The most common gene defects are found in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes which normally produce proteins that protect you from cancer.
Menstrual and Reproductive history: Women who get their periods early (before age 12) or went through menopause late (after age 55) have an increased risk for breast cancer. Also, women without children and those who had children after the age of 30 have an increased risk for breast cancer.
Diet & Lifestyle: Being inactive and a diet high in saturated fats and alcohol may increase your risk of developing breast cancer.