Avoiding breast cancer risk factors
Anything that can increase the chances of developing cancer is called a risk factor, and those that reduce the risks are called protective factors. Although some risk factors, such as genetics, cannot be avoided, it is possible to avoid, for example, alcohol consumption, which can also help prevent certain types of cancer.
The main risk factors for breast cancer are:
Old age
Personal history of breast cancer or benign (non-cancerous) breast disease.
Inherited risk of breast cancer
Reproductive history leading to increased exposure to estrogen.
Hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms.
Radiation therapy to the breast or chest.
Obesity
Alcohol consumption
Breast cancer risk factors can be divided into three broad categories:
Internal factors (pertaining to each person individually);
External: environmental factors;
Genetic factors.
Internal factors
Age
The structure of the breast changes over time, but breast disease can occur at any time. Clinical studies have shown that the incidence of breast cancer increases with age.
Denser breast tissue
Women with very dense breasts have a higher risk of breast cancer than women with low breast density.
Increased breast density is in some cases a hereditary trait, but it can also occur in women who have not had children, have a first pregnancy late in life, take hormones postmenopausally, or consume alcohol.
Reproductive history leading to increased exposure to estrogen
Estrogen is a hormone produced by the body that helps the body develop and maintain female sexual characteristics. Exposure to estrogen over a long period of time can increase the risk of breast cancer. Estrogen levels are highest in the years when a woman menstruates.
The following reproductive factors increase the time a woman's breast tissue is exposed to estrogen and may increase her risk of breast cancer:
Early menstruation: the onset of menstruation before age 12 increases the number of years that breast tissue is exposed to estrogen.
Onset of menopause at an older age: The more years a woman menstruates, the more exposed her breast tissue is to estrogen.
Women who gave birth to their first child at an older age or have never given birth: Pregnancy decreases the number of menstrual cycles a woman has in her lifetime. Breast tissue is exposed to more estrogen for longer periods in women who become pregnant for the first time after age 35 or who never become pregnant.
Obesity
Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer, especially in postmenopausal women who have not used hormone replacement therapy.
External or environmental factors
Hormone-based contraceptives
Talk to your doctor about your breast cancer risk and hormone use, especially if you have a family history.
Hormonal contraceptives contain estrogen or estrogen and progestin. Some studies have shown that women who use hormonal contraceptives may have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. Although there are also other studies, which have not shown an increased risk of breast cancer in women who use hormonal contraceptives.
In one study, the risk of breast cancer increased slightly the longer a woman used hormonal contraceptives. Another study revealed a slight decrease in risk over time when women stopped using hormonal contraceptives.
More studies are needed to find out whether hormonal contraceptives affect a woman's breast cancer risk.
Hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms
Hormones such as estrogen and progesterone can be synthesized in pill form. Estrogen and progestin can be given to replace the estrogen that the ovaries no longer produce in postmenopausal women or in women who have had their ovaries removed. This is called hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or hormone therapy (HT).
Women who undergo estrogen-only hormone therapy (MHT) at menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer. This is especially true for women who started taking estrogen-only MHT around the time of menopause.
Radiation therapy to the breast or chest
Radiation therapy to the chest for cancer treatment increases the risk of breast cancer 10 years after treatment. The risk of breast cancer depends on the dose of radiation and the age at which it is given. The risk is higher if radiation therapy was used during puberty, when breasts are forming.
Radiation therapy to treat cancer in one breast does not seem to increase the risk of cancer in the other breast.
For women who have inherited changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, exposure to radiation, such as from chest x-rays, may further increase the risk of breast cancer, especially in women who had x-rays taken before age 20.
Smoking and alcohol consumption
Smoking and drinking alcohol increase the risk of breast cancer. The level of risk increases in proportion to the amount of alcohol consumed.
Chemicals in the environment
Scientists are studying whether exposure to environmental chemicals can increase a woman's risk of breast cancer. Studies of this type can be difficult to conduct and interpret for several reasons:
It is difficult to determine the specific chemicals to which people have been exposed in the past. Decades may pass since a possible exposure before cancer begins, and a person may not be aware of or remember past exposure.
Although a chemical may be found to be carcinogenic in a laboratory test, this does not necessarily mean that people exposed to that environmental chemical will develop cancer. A chemical may be shown to be carcinogenic when tested at high levels in laboratory studies, but not at lower levels observed in the environment.
The chemicals themselves are likely to cause only a small increase in risk, and it may be difficult to detect this increase in the context of other factors that may influence a woman's breast cancer risk.
These reasons make it difficult to know which chemicals may increase breast cancer risk. More studies are needed to determine whether chemicals in the environment affect a woman's breast cancer risk.
It's up to you! Don't miss your breast screening!
Blows to the breasts
Currently, there is no proven link between a blow to the breast and the appearance of serious conditions. However, do not ignore the blow, and if it does not heal quickly, seek the opinion of a specialist.
Sun exposure
Avoid sun exposure between 10 am and 4 pm. Apply a cream with a higher protection factor 20-30 minutes before exposure and reapply every 2-3 hours.
Genetic factors
It is important to pay attention to family history. Although, 70% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have never had a similar case in their family, so regular screenings are a must. Don't neglect your health, choose prevention!
Inherited risk of breast cancer
Women with a family history of breast cancer in a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) have an increased risk of developing cancer.
Women who have inherited changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have an increased risk of developing cancer. The risk of breast cancer caused by inherited genetic changes depends on the type of gene mutation, family history of cancer, and other factors.
It's up to you! Don't miss your breast screening!