14 Memorial Medical Milestones • 2025 Issue 2 Do you know your personal risk factors for breast cancer? While no one factor is a sure sign you’ll develop the disease, it’s important to know about them. You may be able to reduce certain risks. What you can’t control You can’t change some risk factors. These include your: • Biological sex. While men can get breast cancer, it’s far more common in women. • Age. Most women with breast cancer are diagnosed after age 55. Your risk increases as you age. • Genes. About 5% to 10% of breast cancers are hereditary. The most common cause of this type of breast cancer is a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, but there are others. • Ethnicity. White women have a slightly higher risk for developing breast cancer in general. But under age 40, breast cancer is more common in African American women. • Family history. Most women who get breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease. But if your mother, sister or daughter has it, your risk is almost doubled. (Don’t forget to consider your father’s side of the family!) • Breast density. If you have dense breasts, meaning the tissue is more fibrous than fatty, your risk is higher. This isn’t something you can feel, but it can be seen on a mammogram. About half of women 40 years and older have dense breasts. • Menstrual history. Women who have had more menstrual cycles have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer. This includes those who started their periods Breast cancer: What are your risks? early (before age 12) or went through menopause later (after age 55). Things you can change Some risk factors are related to your lifestyle, which means you can control them. These include your: • Alcohol use. Having one drink per day is associated with a 7% to 10% higher risk, while having two or three raises the risk to about 20%. Find support Lake Charles Memorial offers support groups for survivors and those living with cancer. Check them out at lcmh.com/classes-and-support.
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