The following women are more at risk for breast cancer:
Women over age of 60 have greatest risk. The disease is normally
uncommon before menopause.
Women with a family history of breast cancer. Women face a
greater threat if their mother, sister or daughter had breast cancer,
especially before age 40.
Not having children or having a first child after age 30
increases the risk.
Women who had their first menstrual period before age 12 or
went through menopause after age 55 are more likely to develop the disease.
Starting your periods (menarche) at an early age has been linked with an
increased risk of breast cancer. In addition, if you have a late menopause this
increases your breast cancer risk.
Women who get menopausal hormone therapy also increase the
risk.
Women who are physically inactive throughout life appear to
have an increased risk of breast cancer.
Being physically active may help to
reduce the risk by preventing weight gain and obesity.
Women who have benign breast disease. Most non-cancerous
(benign) breast conditions do not increase breast cancer risk, but some may
mean that you have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. About 1 in 20
breast lumps show ‘atypical hyperplasia’. This means the cells are not cancer,
but they are growing abnormally. Atypical hyperplasia increases your risk of
breast cancer by between two and five times the average.
