Are you at risk of developing breast cancer? 9 things you need to watch out for

ALMOST every woman is at risk of developing breast cancer, say health experts.

However there are some factors that would place you at greater risk, and as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month,  the Breast Imaging Society of South Africa has shared these risk factors with women:

• Age – The risk of developing breast cancer increases as one gets older, but 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancers are found in women younger than 45.

• Family history – Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have or have had this disease. Having one first-degree relative (parent, sibling, child or maternal grandmother) with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman’s risk. Having 2 first-degree relatives increases her risk about three-fold.

• Personal history – A woman with cancer in one breast has a 3-4 times greater risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. This is different from a recurrence (return) of the first cancer.

• Dense breast tissue – Women with dense breast tissue (as identified on a mammogram) have more glandular tissue and less fatty tissue, and have a higher risk of breast cancer. Unfortunately, dense breast tissue can also make it harder for doctors to spot problems on mammograms.

• Overweight or obese women – Research has shown that being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast and other cancers. Now, a larger study suggests that overweight and obese women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer have a higher risk of the cancer coming back (recurrence) and are less likely to survive the disease.  Healthy eating and weight management is very important.

• Lifestyle factors – excessive alcohol use, little to no physical activity, smoking and diets high in saturated fats increase the risk of breast cancer.

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• Radiation to chest before 30 years of age –radiation to the chest to treat another cancer (not breast cancer), such as Hodgkin’s disease or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, results in a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer.

• Race/ethnicity – White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African American, Hispanic, and Asian women.

• Hormonal environment – Women who haven’t had a full-term pregnancy or have their first child after age 30 have a higher risk of breast cancer compared to women who gave birth before age 30. Breastfeeding can lower breast cancer risk, especially if a woman breastfeeds for longer than 1 year. Women who started menstruating (having periods) younger than age 12 have a higher risk of breast cancer later in life. The same is true for women who go through menopause when they’re older than 55. Current or recent past users of HRT have a higher risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

According to Dr Jackie Smilg of BISSA, the goal of screening tests for breast cancer is to find it before it causes symptoms.

Breast cancers found during screening exams are more likely to be smaller and still confined to the breast. The size of a breast cancer and how far it has spread are some of the most important factors in predicting the prognosis of a woman with this disease.

Dr Smilg recommends that women should regularly check their breasts for any irregularities and have a clinical breast examination by a GP or gynaecologist at least once a year.

Any abnormality, regardless of age or family history warrants an immediate medical consultation with a healthcare professional. Many lumps may turn out to be harmless, but it is essential that all of them are checked.

Information taken from the Breast Imaging Society of South Africa 

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