Blogs, Cancer

Breast Cancer

July 21, 2021 | by
INTRODUCTION

Why Breast Cancer is the Leading Cancer in Women

The incidence of breast cancer is higher in women, which is why breast cancer remains the second leading cause of death after lung cancer. Statistics suggest that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer once in their lifetime.

At first glance, it may seem like a small statistic, but it adds up to a large number of women falling prey to this illness each year. U.S Breast Cancer Statistic reports that for the year 2021 that 30% of new cancer diagnoses in women will be breast cancer. This percentage indicates that women are and will continue to be more susceptible to breast cancer.

Medical science has not been able to identify a single cause or reason for breast cancer. At best, we know that mutations in the DNA cause normal breast cells to become cancerous. However, what causes these mutations can often be traced back to various causes or risk factors related primarily to women.

Factors

Risk Factors That You Should Know About

To detect breast cancer symptoms, it is necessary to know if you are at risk for it or not. The likelihood off breast cancer in women increases significantly if they experience any of the following risk factors:

1. Age

Age is one of the risk factors, because the chance of gene mutations increase with time. Therefore, women over 50 years of age have a higher chance of developing breast cancer. Additionally, women who have gone through menopause are also at a greater risk for it. Because of this, it is very important that women over 50 years of age are screened for breast cancer regularly.

2. Medicines

While medicines are safe to consume, some of them, such as contraceptive pills, may put women at higher risk of breast cancer. This does not mean that taking contraceptive pills is directly linked with breast cancer. It may be one of the contributing factors that are related to women developing cancer. The risk reduces significantly once women stop taking them.

3. Family History

This is one of the common reasons why some women may develop breast cancer. If women in your family have had breast cancer, you can also be at risk. This is because it is likely that the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes (they are genes that increase the likelihood of breast cancer) have been passed down to you. Not only this, but these genes are also found in ovarian cancer. If you have a family history of these two cancers, your risk of developing a breast cancer may be higher.

4. Lifestyle

Stress, alcohol, and a sedentary lifestyle may also contribute to breast cancer in women. As such, obesity may also increase the risk of getting it because being overweight may indicate high estrogen levels.

Conclusion

The Bottom Line

If you’re someone who has had breast cancer, you should note these risk factors to avoid recurrence. However, if you’re someone looking out for yourself, these risk factors can also serve as prevention tips.

This means that if you have a family history of breast cancer, then you can get tested for the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene well ahead of time. Or, if you have a stressful environment that may affect your health, you can eliminate those sources of stress to help protect yourself.

Whatever category you fall into, it is important to consult with your medical practitioner to make a personal, proactive plan to monitor for breast cancer- don't wait for it to strike before taking action.

Disclaimer: Please note: this blog post is provided for informational purposes and is not intended to replace the guidance of your personal physician. Please consult a medical professional if you have any concerns after reading this or other blog posts on this website.