Breast Care

Age: 75% of breast cancers are diagnosed in women over age 50.

Family history: A first-degree relative who developed breast cancer increases your risk, particularly if that relative was diagnosed before age 50 and if the cancer was in both breasts.

Personal history: Your chance of developing breast cancer is slightly greater if you’ve had it previously.

Race: Caucasian women are at a slightly higher risk than African American women.

Childbirth: Women who have their first child after age 30 or who never have any children are at a slightly elevated risk.

Previous radiation therapy: Women who have been exposed to large amounts of radiation as part of treatment for diseases such as scoliosis, Hodgkin’s disease, lymphoma and tuberculosis are at greater risk for developing breast cancer before age 30.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Long-term hormone replacement therapy (5 or more years) after menopause can increase risk. 

Breast lesions: Certain proliferating cells have been associated with increased cancer risk. These include atypical ductal hyperplasia, atypical lobule hyperplasia and lobular carcinoma in situ.

Weight: Post-menopausal women who are obese have a 20%–40% increased risk compared with women with normal weight.

Drinking alcohol: Drinking more than one drink per day increases your risk of cancer.

Genetics: 5% to 10% of breast cancers are associated with a hereditary gene. The most common genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2. The risk for a woman carrying one of the BRCA gene mutations is as high as 85 percent. Many people with a family history of breast cancer consider genetic counseling and testing for these mutations.

Menstrual periods: If you started menstruating before the age of 12 or reached menopause after the age of 55, you are at a slightly higher risk.

Your body tells a story — and understanding its unique signals is an act of self-love. While lumps are well known, breast health is more nuanced. Get to know your personal landscape through self-exams and trust your instincts if something feels different. Annual mammograms can detect changes before you might notice them, offering an extra layer of care and early detection.

Alert your doctor if you notice:

A lump or mass in the breast

A lump or mass in the armpit

Breast skin changes: skin redness, thickening of the breast skin, ulcerations or nonhealing wounds

Dimpling or puckering on the breast

Discharge from the nipple

Nipple changes, including the nipple turning inward or scaliness on the nipple

Although symptoms do not always mean that you have breast cancer, it’s essential to talk about such symptoms with your doctor because they may be a sign of other health issues.