More Detail on Breast Cancer Risk Factors
The following sections provide additional information on specific
breast cancer risk factors.
Age
The chance of getting breast cancer increases as a woman gets older. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 60. This disease is not common before
menopause.
Personal History of Breast Cancer
A woman who had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in her other breast.
Family History of the Disease
A woman's risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer. The risk is higher if her family member got breast cancer before age 40. Having other relatives with breast cancer (in either her mother's or father's family) may also increase a woman's risk.
Certain Breast Changes
Some women have cells in the breast that look abnormal under a microscope. Having certain types of abnormal cells (for example, atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ -- LCIS) can increase the risk of breast cancer.
Gene Changes
Changes in certain genes can increase the risk of breast cancer. These genes include BRCA1, BRCA2, and others. Tests can sometimes show the presence of specific gene changes in families with many women who have had breast cancer. Healthcare providers may suggest ways to try to reduce the risk of breast cancer, or to improve the detection of this disease in women who have these changes in their genes.
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