DISCUSS THE MAJOR RISK FACTORS FOR BREAST CANCER.

Discuss the major risk factors for breast cancer.

Risk factors for Breast Cancer

Introduction

A risk factor is any thing that predisposes one to chances of contracting a particular disease such as breast cancer. However, the fact that one has or is exposed to a particular risk factor is not a blue print of having contracted the disease. It is possible for one to have one or more risk factors of breast cancer yet never get the disease while another to have no risk factor yet end up getting the disease. This is true with most women who get breast cancer and this partly explains their bewilderment when they find themselves in such conditions.

The most obvious risk factor of one getting breast cancer is gender. Being a woman increases chances of one contracting breast cancer with researches showing a 100 times more occurrence in women than in men. Other predisposing factors include age and race. Chances of a woman getting cancer increase with age. About 2 out 3 women with invasive breast cancer are 55 or older when it is detected (Etaugh, 2013).

Discussion

Race is also a breast cancer risk factor. White women are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer than other races like African or African-American though the mortality rate as a result in the latter is higher. This is credited with faster growing tumors in black Americans. Others are dense breast tissue and menstrual periods. Women with more gland tissue and less fatty tissue pose difficulties to doctors during diagnosis on mammograms. On the other hand women who begin to menstruate early in life (before adolescence) or those who undergo change in life after the age of 55(menopause) are at a higher risk since these conditions result in exposure to prolonged hormonal (estrogen & progesterone) production.

Apart from the above predisposing factors, some life style choices also affect one's contraction of breast cancer. These are factors like failure to have children or having them later in life. Many pregnancies and having them at an early stage reduce the number of menstrual cycles in a lifetime hence consequently reducing hormone levels. Studies also reveal that recent use of contraceptives are at higher risk than those who stopped using them say ten years ago. Women under hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and menopausal hormone therapy (MRT) may also pose some considerable risk (Etaugh, 2013).

Finally on lifestyles is alcoholism, ...