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Risk Factors That You Cannot Change
Gender: Simply being a woman is the main risk factor for breast cancer.
Age: Breast cancer is extremely rare in women younger than 20 and is very rare in women under 30. The chance of getting breast cancer increases, as a woman gets older.
Genetic risk factors: About 1 case of breast cancer in 10 is linked to changes (mutations) in certain genes. Studies show that some breast cancers are linked to changes of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. If a woman has inherited a changed gene from either parent, she is more likely to get breast cancer.
Family history: Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives, either from the mother's or father's side of the family, were diagnosed with cancer, especially at a young age. Having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer almost doubles a woman's risk.
Personal history of breast cancer: A woman with cancer in one breast has a greater chance of getting a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. This is different from the first cancer coming back (recurrence).
Race: White women are slightly more likely to get breast cancer than are African-American women. But African-Americans are more likely to die of this cancer.
Risk Factors You Can Change
Alcohol: Use of alcohol is clearly linked to an increased risk of getting breast cancer. Researchers suggest that limiting the amount you drink, if you drink at all, is the best course of action.
Diet: Being overweight is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, especially for women after change of life and if the weight gain took place during adulthood.
Exercise: Exercise and cancer is a fairly new area of research, but the evidence suggests that even a small amount of physical activity as an adult could lower breast cancer risk.
Smoking: A direct link between smoking and breast cancer has now been confirmed. If you smoke, you should make every attempt to quit.