Are You Safe from Breast Cancer? Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Factors

Studies have shown that your risk for breast cancer is due to a combination of factors. The main factors that influence your risk include being a woman and getting older. Most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years old or older. Some women will get breast cancer even without any other risk factors that they know of. Having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease, and not all risk factors have the same effect. Most women have some risk factors, but most women do not get breast cancer. 

Constant Risk Factors?

• Getting older- The risk for breast cancer increases with age; most breast cancers are diagnosed after age 50.
• Genetic Mutations- Inherited changes (mutations) to certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. Women who have inherited these genetic changes are at higher risk of Breast and Ovarian Cancer.
• Reproductive History- Early menstrual periods before age 12 and starting menopause after age 55 expose women to hormones longer, raising their risk of getting Breast Cancer.
• Having Dense Breasts- Dense breasts have more connective tissue than fatty tissue, which can sometimes make it hard to see tumors on a mammogram. Women with dense breasts are more likely to get Breast Cancer.
• Personal History of Breast Cancer or Certain Non-Cancerous Breast diseases- Women who have had breast cancer are more likely to get Breast Cancer a second time. Some non-cancerous breast diseases such as Atypical Hyperplasia or Lobular Carcinoma in Situ are associated with a higher risk of getting Breast Cancer.
• Family History of Breast or Ovarian Cancer- A woman’s risk for Breast Cancer is higher if she has a mother, sister, or daughter (first-degree relative) or multiple family members on either her mother’s or father’s side of the family who have had Breast or Ovarian cancer. Having a first-degree male relative with breast cancer also raises a woman’s risk.
• Previous Treatment using Radiation Therapy- Women who had radiation therapy to the chest or breasts (like for treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma) before age 30 have a higher risk of getting Breast Cancer later in life.
• Adoptive Risk Factors ?
• Physically Inactive- Women who are not physically active have a higher risk of getting breast cancer.
• Being overweight- Older women who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of getting Breast Cancer than those at a normal weight.
• Use of Hormonal Pills- Some forms of Hormone Replacement Therapy (those that include both estrogen and progesterone) taken during menopause can raise risk for breast cancer when taken for more than five years. Certain oral contraceptives (birth control pills) also have been found to raise Breast Cancer risk.
• Reproductive History- Having the first pregnancy after age 30, not breastfeeding, and never having a full-term pregnancy can raise Breast Cancer risk.
• Addiction- Studies show that a woman’s risk for Breast Cancer increases with the more alcohol she drinks or cigarettes' she smokes.

NCCN Guidelines for Brest Risk Reduction for Ca Breast

Tamoxifen- According to the Gali Model , data regarding tamoxifen risk reduction are limited to pre- & postmenopausal woman 25 years of age or older . 20 mg per day for 5 years was shown to reduce risk of Breast Cancer by 49%. Among woman with a history of Atypical Hyperplasia, this dose & duration of tamoxifen was associated with an 86% reduction in Breast Cancer risk. Low-dose tamoxifen (5mg per day for 3 months) is an option only if patient is symptomatic on the 20 mg dose or if patient is unwilling or unable to take standard-dose tamoxifen.

The efficacy of tamoxifen risk reduction in women who are carriers of BRCA mutation or who have had prior thoracic radiation is less well studied than in other risk groups. Limited retrospective data suggest there may be a benefit.

Raloxifene & Exemestane & Anastrazole also having a Breast Cancer risk reduction, as described in Gali Model.

In comparison to the predictive models like IBIS Model, Calus Model, UPENNI Model, BRCA Pro Model of risk of Breast Cancer & risk of carrying a mutation of BCRA1/2 are very relevant.

The age group of the cases was 25-78 years, while that of the controls was 24-79 years. The proportions of cases (56.3%) and controls (63.3%) living in rural areas were more than those living in urban areas. A significant association of breast cancer cases was found with caste, age at marriage, age at the first pregnancy, number of live births, and lifetime duration of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding has a significant role in reducing Breast Cancer, and so information, education, and communication activities for the promotion of breastfeeding and creating awareness about this fatal disease are the need of the hour.

In India and other developing countries, Breast Carcinoma ranks second only to Cervical Carcinoma among women. The increase in the Breast Cancer cases is mainly being documented in the metropolitan cities; but these data are not totally reliable as many cases in the rural areas go unnoticed. At present, India reports around 100,000 new cases annually. According to a study by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there will be approximately 350,000 new cases of breast cancer in India by 2025.

While we generally focus on the positive benefits of breastfeeding for the infants, but are there any additional benefits for the mother as well? 

Promote Breastfeeding to save our Mother's !