0Cancer is a complex disease. No one can tell you the exact reason behind it. You may have seen many smokers who never had lung cancer and non-smokers succumbing to the disease. In such a scenario, modern science tends to focus on factors that have the potential to develop cancer. Those are called risk factors.
Breast cancer is known to be caused by a variety of reasons. Some of these you can change and others, unfortunately, you can’t.
Here are some risk factors that you can change-
- Physical inactivity- Yes! Physically inactive females are at a higher risk of developing cancer. So, use this as a motivation to go to gyms or do simple exercises everyday.
- Obesity after menopause – Your body will stop covering up for your binge eating after menopause. Obesity in postmenopausal women causes a 1.5 fold risk of developing breast cancer.
- Alcohol – You won’t like this one! There is a two-fold rise in risk if you drink more than one drink a day.
- Taking oral contraceptives – Birth control pills are proven to cause breast cancers in females.
- Hormone therapy at menopause – Prolonged intake of hormonal pills at menopause can lead to breast cancer.
- Smoking- There is a 21% higher risk of breast cancer in smokers.
- Night shift workers – A good night’s sleep is crucial to keep hormonal stability. Hormonal imbalance in night shift workers makes them more prone to breast cancer.
Risk factors that you can’t help-
- Age- The occurrence of all cancers increases exponentially with age. The relation between age and cancer is so strong that about 75% of all cancers occur in people above 55. Breast cancer is no exception.
- Mutations in certain genes- Breast cancer genes ( BRCA1 and BRCA2) in a normal individual are cancer suppressors. If these genes are defective, you can develop breast cancer even at a younger age.
- Menstrual history- If you had your first periods before you turned 12, you have a higher risk. Breast cancer is also common in women who have menopause after 55.
- Reproductive history – Biology here does not let women exercise their reproductive rights! If you choose not to have a baby, you are at higher risk. Also, if you wait for a long time to have your first child, you may develop breast cancer.
Personal history- Women who already had breast cancer once, are more likely to develop another one. The risk is high even if the previous cancer was nonmalignant. - Familial tendencies- If your family has it, you can have it too. The presence of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and even prostate cancer in a family member, increases your chances of having them.
- Nature of breast tissue- Women with dense connective tissue in their breasts develop more cancer cells. Dense tissues also make it difficult for a mammogram to detect abnormalities.
- History of radiation exposure- American cancer society states that chest radiation between the ages of 10 and 30, puts you in the higher risk group.
Awareness about these risk factors will help you make necessary changes in your lifestyle. These must be coupled with regular screening for early detection.