Risk Factors Of Breast Cancer You Can't Control
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One of every eight women in the United States
will be diagnosed with breast cancer. It is the most common
cancer for women and over two million women have been
treated for this disease. Men are also at risk but they are
less at risk of developing breast cancer than women. The
good news is that breast cancer deaths are decreasing and
the survival rate is much better, especially if the disease
is detected early. Improved technology and new testing
methods are responsible for the earlier detection of breast
cancer and the decrease in deaths from breast cancer.
Some risks are unavoidable. If you are a
woman, you are a risk for breast cancer. You can’t control
this factor. You will age; another risk factor you can’t
control. Eight out of ten breast cancers are found in women
over 50. |
Your family health history and the genes you
inherit are also risks that are not under your control. If
you have a family with a history of breast cancer, you are more
at risk. If your mother or sister has been treated for
breast cancer, it increases that risk. This risk is
doubled regardless of whether it is on your father’s or your
mother’s side. If you have had cancer in one breast, it puts you
more at risk for developing cancer in the other breast. If you
have had chest radiation earlier in your life, you are more at
risk for developing breast cancer.
A drug prescribed for pregnant women to lower the
chances of miscarriage may also increase your risk of developing
breast cancer. The drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) is prescribed for
women in danger of miscarriage but also may increase their risk of
cancer.
Caucasian women have more risk of developing breast
cancer than African-American, but African-American women are more at
risk of dying of the disease. Asians, Hispanics, or American Indians
have a lower risk factor than Caucasian women.
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The start and end of your menstrual cycle are
factors you can’t control, but have an influence on your
chances of developing breast cancer. If you started periods
before you were 12 years old, or began menopause after the
age of 55, you have a slightly higher risk of breast
cancer.
The list of risk factors you can’t control
may seem enormous; there are factors you can control.
Keeping your weight under control, eating healthy, and
getting the proper exercise can help you remain cancer
free. Take care of your body, be aware of your rhythms and
cycles, and exercise regularly, this will reduce the chances
of you developing breast cancer. You can control some risk
factors and it is important for you to do that. Don’t fret
about the ones you can’t control. Listen to your body, be
aware of any unusual changes, and know what is normal for
you. Keeping your body as healthy as possible will decrease
your risk of developing breast cancer, and increase your
survival chances if breast cancer is diagnosed. |
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