What are the causes of Breast Cancer?
Sunday, July 3rd, 2011 at
11:09 pm
Question by ~Libby~: What are the causes of Breast Cancer?
This may be a stupid question, but is there a cause? how would someone get it?
Most detailed answer:
Answer by Sam
I don’t think the cause has been determined, but you are more at risk if you have a family history of breast cancer.
What do you think? Leave you answer below!
Tagged with: breast • cancer • causes
Filed under: Breast Cancer
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t’s not clear what causes breast cancer. Doctors know that breast cancer occurs when some breast cells begin growing abnormally. These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do. The accumulating cells form a tumor that may spread (metastasize) through your breast, to your lymph nodes or to other parts of your body.
Breast cancer most often begins with cells in the milk-producing ducts. Doctors call this type of breast cancer invasive ductal carcinoma. Breast cancer may also begin in the lobules (invasive lobular carcinoma) or cells within the breast.
Researchers have identified things that can increase your risk of breast cancer. But it’s not clear why some people who have no risk factors develop cancer, yet other people with risk factors never do. It’s likely that breast cancer is caused by a complex combination of your genetic makeup and your environment.
Inherited breast cancer
Doctors estimate that 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutation passed through generations of a family. A number of inherited defective genes that can increase the likelihood of breast cancer have been identified. The most common are breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2), both of which increase the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.
If you have a strong family history of breast cancer or other cancers, blood tests may help identify defective BRCA or other genes that are being passed through your family. Consider asking your doctor for a referral to a genetic counselor who can review your family health history. A genetic counselor can also discuss the benefits, risks and limitations of genetic testing with you.
Nobody knows what causes breast cancer.
The biggest risk factor is being female – over 99% of those diagnosed with breast cancer are women.
The second greatest risk factor is age – over 80% of all those diagnosed are over 50 and the average age at diagnosis is a little over 60. Only 5% of those diagnosed are under 40, fewer than 0.1% are under 30 and it’s almost unheard of in under 25s.
Only 5 – 10% of all breast cancer cases are hereditary due to a rare inherited faulty gene.
There are other known risk factors, but they ARE only risk factors, not causes; ticking one, some or all these boxes does not mean you will get breast cancer, and many people who are diagnosed with breast cancer have none of these risk factors
Having children at an older age or not at all. The more children a woman has may also slightly lower her risk. Breast-feeding helps protect against the disease. The longer a woman breast feeds her children, the more she lowers her risk.
Starting periods at a younger than average age (under 12) or having a late menopause (after 55)
Taking the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) causes a small increase in risk. However, the risk gradually returns to normal after you stop taking them.
Being overweight (especially after the menopause).
Regularly drinking more than 1 unit of alcohol per day slightly increases the risk of breast cancer.
Having a previous diagnosis of breast cancer increases the risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast.
indeed I also understand everything you outlined in the following paragraphs. Many people who may have cancer have to remain positive.