Patient education: Lowering the risk of breast cancer (The Basics)

What is breast cancer? — 

This is when normal cells in the breast change and grow out of control. People sometimes discover that they have breast cancer because they find a lump in their breast. Other times, cancer is found during a routine screening test, before a lump can be felt.

Breast cancer can be serious. But there are ways to lower your risk of getting it.

Who is at risk for breast cancer? — 

Certain things affect a person's risk of breast cancer. These are called "risk factors."

Some of these things are not under your control. For example, your risk might be increased based on your:

●Age – Your risk goes up as you get older.

●Family – Having a parent or sibling who had breast cancer raises your risk.

●Sex – Breast cancer is much more common in females than in males, but anyone can get it.

●Reproductive factors – The age you started having periods or when you started menopause can affect your risk.

Some health conditions increase your risk of breast cancer. Examples include:

●Dense breast tissue

●Having had breast cancer in the past

●Obesity or excess body weight

●High levels of estrogen, for example, from some types of hormone replacement

●Past radiation treatment to the chest at a young age

Certain behaviors also increase your risk of breast cancer. Examples include:

●Drinking alcohol

●Smoking

●Not getting regular physical activity

●Eating a diet that is high in fat, red meat, and processed meat

If you have risk factors for breast cancer, it's important to know, so you can try to lower your risk. Ways to do this are discussed more below.

How can I lower my risk of breast cancer? — 

People who are at a very high risk of breast cancer might be candidates for a mastectomy or certain medicines to lower their risk.

There are several ways for everyone to lower their risk. These include:

●Screening – This is a way to check for problems in people who do not have any symptoms. Getting screened lowers your chance of dying from breast cancer. Your risk determines how often you should be screened and which test you should have. Your doctor can help you decide when and how to be screened.

●Breastfeeding – This can decrease your risk of getting breast cancer. The protective effect increases the longer you breastfeed.

●Lifestyle changes - Anyone can make healthy lifestyle changes to help lower their risk of breast cancer. These things can also help improve your health overall. For example:

•Stop smoking, if you smoke. If you are having trouble quitting, your doctor or nurse can help.

•Get regular exercise (if your doctor says that it's safe) for at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week.

•Lose weight, if you have excess body weight. Your doctor or nurse can help you do this in a healthy way.

•Limit how much alcohol you drink. Your risk increases the more you drink.

More on this topic

Patient education: Breast cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Breast cancer screening (The Basics)
Patient education: Genetic testing for breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer (The Basics)
Patient education: Mammogram (The Basics)
Patient education: Breast ultrasound (The Basics)
Patient education: Common breast problems (The Basics)
Patient education: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) (The Basics)

Patient education: Factors that affect breast cancer risk in women (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Breast cancer guide to diagnosis and treatment (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Breast cancer screening (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Genetic testing for hereditary breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Medications for the prevention of breast cancer (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Common breast problems (Beyond the Basics)