Breast cancer occurs because the cells in the breast grow abnormally and uncontrollably. These cells divide rapidly and gather to form lumps, then can spread to the lymph nodes or to other organs.
Not yet known what causes these cells to turn into cancer cells, but experts suspect that there is an interaction between genetic factors with lifestyle, environment, and hormones, so that cells become abnormal and grow out of control.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Several factors are known to increase the risk of breast cancer. However, someone with a number of risk factors is not necessarily attacked by breast cancer, whereas someone without risk factors can get cancer. Someone who has had cancer in one breast has a high risk of cancer in the other breast.
Other factors that can increase the risk of breast cancer include:
- Age. The risk of breast cancer will increase with increasing age.
- Gender. Women are more susceptible to breast cancer than men.
- Radiation exposure. Someone who has undergone radiotherapy, is prone to breast cancer.
- Obesity. Excess weight increases the risk of developing breast cancer.
- Have never been pregnant. Women who have been pregnant and breastfeeding have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who have never been pregnant and breastfeeding.
- Giving birth at old age. Women who have had children over the age of 30 are more at risk of developing breast cancer.
- Alcohol consumption. Recent studies show that small amounts of alcohol consumption still increase the risk of breast cancer.
- Hormone replacement therapy. After menopause, women who get hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and progesterone are more at risk of developing breast cancer.
- Start menstruation too young. Women who experience menstruation under the age of 12 are known to be more at risk of developing breast cancer.
- Late menopause. Women who have not experienced menopause until the age of 55 years are also at risk of developing breast cancer.
- Family history of breast cancer. Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can also make breast cancer lowered from parents to children. In addition, someone who has a close family member who has breast cancer also has a higher risk of experiencing it.