What Causes Breast Cancer?
There is actually no exact cause of breast cancer. And if there is actually a specific cause, scientists have not yet isolated anything yet. As of the present, the only way to determine the possibilities of contracting breast cancer is through the interaction of several risk factors that have been found to correlate with the condition.
A risk factor is term used in medicine that refers to the factors that will increase one’s chance of developing a certain disease or condition. This is especially used with conditions that have no known cause but are the result of the interaction of several factors in the body, both internal and external. Some risk factors are already inherent in the person and cannot be changed. Examples of these risk factors are age and family history. Others however can be avoided or lessened.
Examples of these are drinking alcoholic drinks and cigarette smoking. One must remember though that risk factors are just “risks” and not absolution. Having these risks does not mean that you will develop the condition.
One of the primary risk factors that should be focused on when talking about breast cancer is the gender. Contrary to popular belief, it is not only women that develop breast cancers. Men can also develop breast cancer. Their risk factor for the disease is however low compared to women, who are more likely to develop the problem. In fact, breast cancer is a hundred times more common in women than in men.
Age also plays a significant role in the development of breast cancer. As one gets older, the chance of developing breast cancer increases. About 8 out of 10 cases of breast cancers in the country are found in women who are already over 50 years old. The age when a woman gave birth is also another risk factor. Studies have shown that women who gave birth before they were 30 is less likely to develop breast cancer.
Family history
Having family members, particularly the immediate family and the first-degree relatives, who have had breast cancer in the past will increase your risk for getting breast cancer by about 50 percent.
Genetics
Nearly five to ten percent of breast cancer cases are directly in linked to some mutations in certain genes in the body, the BRCA1 and the BRCA2. women who have undergone these genetic changes is about 80 percent more likely to develop breast cancers in their lifetimes.
Breast cancer in the past
Having survived one breast cancer episode does not mean that you will not develop breast cancer again in the future. In fact, having breast cancer in one breast will increase the risk of developing breast cancer on the other.
Race and ethnicity
Breast cancer is very prevalent in the North Americas and in Europe. This is perhaps because the white women are more likely to develop breast cancer as compared to black women and Asian women. The same goes with Hispanic and American Indian women who have low breast cancer risks. Experts believe that this is because tumors grow faster in the bodies of white women than in any other ethnicity.
Menstrual periods and menopause
Women who have had periods before they were 12 years old and those who have gone into menopause when they were after the age of 55 will more likely develop breast cancer.
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