7 Causes of Breast Cancer

Being a woman, I also have certain fear and doubts about the most atrocious women "killer", Breast Cancer.

Even though i myself does not have any family members or friends who diagnose breast cancer, i am still curious what are the cause of breast cancer. As a woman, i feel that i should be prepared and prevent this from happening. 

Hope that after reading this, you have some ideas how this breast cancer come about and be mindful of your health. 

Below is the research I found on the causes of Breast Cancer.

1. Age

The risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older. About 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancers are found in women younger than 45, while about 2 of 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 or older.

2. Family Inheritance  

Less than 15% of women with breast cancer have a family member with this disease. This means that most (over 85%) women who get breast cancer do not have a family history of this disease.

Despite that, breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have this disease.

Having one first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with breast cancer approximately doubles the chance of getting the cancer. Having 2 first-degree relatives increases her risk about 3-fold.

3. Personal History

If one is previously diagnosed with breast cancer, it is very likely that he/she will be diagnosed with breast cancer again.

4. Menstrual periods

Women who have had more menstrual cycles because they started menstruating early (before age 12) and/or went through menopause later (after age 55) have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. The increase in risk may be due to a longer lifetime exposure to the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

5. Drinking Alcohol

The risk of getting breast cancer increases according to the amount of alcohol you drink. Alcohol naturally is a harmful drink and should not be consumed in huge amount. 

Too much alcohol can also be harmful to the liver and other parts of the body.

6. Being Overweight or Obese 

Being overweight or obese, naturally is already an issue. 

Before menopause, production of estrogen is controlled by ovaries. After menopause, fat tissues will produce estrogen while the ovaries will stop working. With more fat tissues in the body, more estrogen will be produce, which lead to the increasing risk of breast cancer. 

7. Radiation

Exposure to radiation when the breast is still developing will increase the likelihood of breast cancer. Even when the breast is fully developed, exposure to radiation will cause mutation to the genes and hence, causes cancer.

After knowing the causes of breast cancer, the next best thing would be to prevent it! Things like radiation and alcohol, it is best to avoid. 

However, for things that we cannot control, like age and inheritance, we can't help it...

Take action, before it's too late.