While women who have a family
history of breast cancer are in a
higher risk group, most women who
have breast cancer have no family
history. Statistically only about 10%
of individuals diagnosed with breast
cancer have a family history of this
disease.
• If you have a first degree relative
with breast cancer: If you have a
mother, daughter, or sister who
developed breast cancer below
the age of 50, you should consider
some form of regular diagnostic
breast imaging starting 10 years
before the age of your relative’s
diagnosis.
• If you have a second degree relative
with breast cancer: If you have had
a grandmother or aunt who was
diagnosed with breast cancer, your
risk increases slightly, but it is not
in the same risk category as those
who have a first degree relative with
breast cancer.
• If you have multiple generations
diagnosed with breast cancer on
the same side of the family, or if
there are several individuals who
are first degree relatives to one
another, or several family members diagnosed under age 50, the
probability increases that there is a
breast cancer gene contributing to
the cause of this familial history.
Risk Factors
The following risk factors have been
identified:
• Female gender: 11% of women
develop breast cancer. (European
figures based on a life expectancy of
76 years)
• More advanced age: 77% of women
diagnosed with breast cancer are
over 50.
• Having one first-degree relative
(mother, sister or daughter) with
breast cancer doubles risk; having
two increases risk five-fold.
• Approximately five to 10% of breast
cancers are the result of inherited
mutations (changes) of the genes
BRCA1 and BRCA2, which make
proteins that help prevent cancerous
growth. This cancer-preventing function is less effective with a mutated
gene, and 50 to 60% of women with
BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations develop
breast cancer by age 70.
• Risk increases significantly if you
have had cancer of the breast,
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ovaries, uterus or colon. Cancer in one
breast means there is a one per cent
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