Risk Factors For Breast Cancer
Not everyone is in danger of getting breast cancer but then again, you never know. That is why experts have come up with certain things that they consider to be risk factors. These can indicate whether or not a person has more chances of getting breast cancer. Here are some of the risk factors, courtesy of MedicineNet:
Age: The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 60. This disease is not common before menopause.
Personal history of breast cancer: A woman who had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in her other breast.
Gene changes: Changes in certain genes increase the risk of breast cancer. These genes include BRCA1, BRCA2, and others. Tests can sometimes show the presence of specific gene changes in families with many women who have had breast cancer. Health care providers may suggest ways to try to reduce the risk of breast cancer, or to improve the detection of this disease in women who have these changes in their genes.
Family history: A woman’s risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer. The risk is higher if her family member got breast cancer before age 40. Having other relatives with breast cancer (in either her mother’s or father’s family) may also increase a woman’s risk.
Certain breast changes: Some women have cells in the breast that look abnormal under a microscope. Having certain types of abnormal cells (atypical hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ [LCIS]) increases the risk of breast cancer.
So these are only some of the most common risk factors that have been identified. For more information, you can visit the web site of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
October 15, 2010 at 10:39 am
Good teaser article, hormone therapy and obesity are also risk factors for breast cancer
October 19, 2010 at 2:32 am
If you have a family history of breast cancer, or are actively undergoing treatment in the wake of a recent diagnosis, there are a variety of natural botanicals, vitamins, and minerals that can have a strong positive impact when it comes to both prevention and recovery.
Based on the latest scientific research, many different nutrients show promise in this area of breast cancer prevention and recovery. Combining these nutrients in the proper amounts allows the cancer to be attacked from all sides, therefore inhibiting the cancer growth while simultaneously promoting overall health. There are quite a few supplements that I use for this purpose in my practice – most notably modified citrus pectin, which is a clinically proven natural adjuvant therapy for a wide variety of cancers. For daily support, I also recommend an integrative breast formula, which provides targeted nutritional support for women struggling with breast health concerns and breast cancer.
Other supplements include medicinal mushrooms, specific vitamins and antioxidants, and nutrients that act as hormone modulators, anti-inflammatory agents, and immune enhancers. For a full health report, visit: http://www.dreliaz.org/breast-cancer-report