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Be aware.
By: Christina Stiehl
In addition to skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women; the average woman has one in eight chance of developing breast cancer. And while the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, there are other risk factors that contribute to the likelihood of developing breast cancer during your lifetime.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has defined eight risk factors that you can not change and five that you can. We also talked to doctors and experts, who explained the meaning of these risk factors for breast cancer and how you can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.
You should start getting breast cancer screening at age 40, by regularly going through a mammogram up to age 54. However, it's never too early to start doing a breast self-exam.
1. You can not change: grow old
According to the CDC, most breast cancers are diagnosed after the age of 50. Although recommendations are constantly changing, cancer.org recommends that women undergo regular mammograms at age 40 and have them every year in 45 years.
2. You Can not Change: Family History of Breast Cancer
If a woman has a first-degree relative with breast cancer, such as a mother, a sister or a girl (or a male relative), her risk of breast cancer increases. It also increases if several members of her family, on her mother's or father's side, have had breast cancer.
"For mid-risk women, I recommend starting the annual mammogram at age 40," said Linda Greer, MD, POPSUGAR, Medical Director of the HonorHealth Breast Health Research Center.
"Women with a family or personal history of breast cancer are at higher risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime, so it is advisable to talk to your doctor because earlier screening may be necessary."
However, she added that if you do not have a family history of breast cancer, you are not clear; nearly 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease.
3. You can not change: have dense breasts
Because dense breasts have more connective tissue than adipose tissue, it can be difficult to spot tumors on a mammogram.
"Women with very dense breasts are also four to five times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with less dense breasts," said Dr. Greer. "Since breast density is identifiable only on a mammogram or other imaging modality, regular screening is imperative."
She noted that not all mammograms are created equal; a recent study found that digital breast tomosynthesis (DCT), or 3D screening mammography, is more effective than digital mammograms (2D).
4. You can not change: genetic mutations
Heritable genetic mutations, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
5. You Can not Change: Personal History of Breast Cancer or Certain Non-Cancerous Breast Diseases
Women who have ever had breast cancer are more likely to contract it a second time. Other cancers, such as atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ, are also associated with a higher risk of breast cancer.
6. You Can not Change: Personal Reproduction History
If you had your period before the age of 12 and started menopause after the age of 55, you have been exposed to hormones longer, which increases your risk of breast cancer .
7. You can not change: previous treatment using radiotherapy
If you have been exposed to chest or breast radiotherapy before the age of 30, for example with Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, the risk of breast cancer increases later in life.
8. You can not change: women who took the drug Diethylstilbestrol (DES)
In the United States, some pregnant women received diethylstilbestrol (DES) between 1940 and 1971 to prevent miscarriages, but this increases the risk of breast cancer. The same is true for women whose mothers took DES during pregnancy.
9. You can change: pregnancy history
If you have had your first pregnancy after the age of 30, have not breastfed or never had a full term pregnancy, this may increase your risk of breast cancer.
10. You can change: drink alcohol
Studies have shown that the risk of breast cancer in a woman increases with the consumption of alcohol.
11. You can change: take hormones
Some contraceptive pills have been found to increase the risk of breast cancer. In addition, some forms of hormone replacement therapy, including progesterone and estrogen, increase the risk of breast cancer if taken for more than five years.
12. You can change: do not be physically active
Women who do not work regularly and who are not physically active have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. In fact, studies have shown that physical activity can help prevent breast cancer.
13. You can change: being overweight or obese after menopause
Older women who are overweight or obese after menopause have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
PopSugar is a site dedicated to the art of living that focuses on women's health and fitness. They offer tips for staying healthy!
This article was originally published on PopSugar. Reprinted with permission of the author.
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