Get the Facts on Breast Cancer

• • Age A woman’s risk of developing breast cancer increases as she gets older. Although young women do get breast cancer, about 80% of breast cancers appear in women over the age of 50.

  • Gender Breast cancer is more prevalent in women but can be diagnosed in men as well. <1% occurs in men, however, men are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease.

  • Family History A family history of breast cancer, especially in a first-degree relative, a relative diagnosed under the age of 50, a family member with bilateral breast cancer or a male relative with breast cancer all increase a person’s risk of breast cancer.

  • Obesity Increased fat tissue may lead to increased levels of estrogen which may increase the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer.

  • Hormone Replacement Therapy Current or recent users of combined hormone therapy (estrogen and progesterone) for 5 years or longer have increased risk of breast cancer.

  • Dense Breasts Dense breasts have more connective tissue than fatty tissue, which can make it more difficult to identify abnormalities on a mammogram. Ask to have a 3D mammogram as they give radiologists a clearer picture of the breast and allow them to detect breast cancer at its earliest stage.

  • Drinking Alcohol Alcohol consumption, another modifiable risk factor, increases the risk of breast cancer by about 7%-10% for each drink consumed on a regular basis.

  • Sedentary Lifestyle Regular exercise decreases the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer by 10%-25%.

  • Menstruating Early Or Go Through Menopause Late Women who started having their periods before the age of 12 appear to have a slightly higher risk as do those women who go through menopause after the age of 50.

• Swelling, redness, dimpling or other visible changes to the skin of one or both breasts
• Changes in the appearance of one or both nipples
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk
• A lump or thickening of breast tissue

“Women Ages 45 to 54, at average risk of breast cancer, should be screened annually. Women ages 40-44 have the option to start annual mammogram screening.”