7 Breast cancer Risk factors
Breast cancer can occur due to a wide range of risk factors. What are the risk factors?
Breast cancer is the cause of the second death in women due to cancer, after cervical cancer. Breast cancer is caused by various risk factors. Therefore, it is important to be aware of these factors, to reduce the likelihood of breast cancer in your self.
Breast cancer occurs as a result of the cells in the breast experiencing excessive growth. Breast cancer can spread to the blood vessels and lymph nodes, when it has spread to other parts of the body is referred to as metastasis.
Risk factors arise from behavior, substance, or conditions that may increase the likelihood of developing cancer. Most breast cancers occur due to a wide range of risk factors. Having a risk factor does not mean you must experience the disease, it's just that it's likely to be bigger. Also, not all risks give the same effect.
Here are some risk factors for breast cancer:
1. Age-added
The risk of breast cancer increases with age.
2. Genetic factors
Changes in certain genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 have a higher risk of breast and ovary cancers.
3. Family history with breast cancer.
The risk of experiencing breast cancer is higher if:
> There are one or more families of first-rate breeds, i.e. mothers, sisters, or girls, who experience breast cancer — especially when diagnosed before menopause.
> A second-level family like a grandmother, aunt, or nephew of a father's or mother's parity with breast cancer.
> Family history has cancer in both breasts before menopause.
> Two or more siblings have breast or ovarian cancer.
> Brothers with a history of breast cancer.
4. Reproductive history
> Menstruation before 12 years of age.
> The first pregnancy is aged above 30 years and does not reach the gestational age enough months.
> Never get pregnant.
> Menopause after age 55 years.
5. Using Hormone combination therapy
Using hormone therapy to replace the loss of estrogen and progesterone when menopause more than 5 years can increase the risk of breast cancer.
6. History of Radiation therapy
Women who have undergone radiation therapy in the chest or breast (as in the Lymphoma Hodkin) before the age of 30 years of high risk of having breast cancer in the past.
7. Other factors
Other things that may cause cancer are smoking, exposure to chemical substances that cause cancer (carcinogenic), and work on night shifts.
There are a lot of factors that contribute to breast cancer. Although some factors cannot be changed, some factors can be changed. For example: preventing excess weight, exercising at least three times a week, avoiding alcohol, as well as careful in choosing drugs or therapies that contain hormones. If you have any of the above risk factors, you should do a breast examination to the doctor.