Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer among women in the country. Although it can affect both men and women, it is more common in women.

The risk factors of breast cancer
The exact causes of breast cancer aren’t known yet. However, as per research, there are several risk factors that can increase the likelihood of developing this type of cancer. Some of the most common ones are:

• Gender
  This is perhaps the biggest risk factor for breast cancer as women are 100 times more likely to develop this cancer as compared to men.
• Age
  Age is another significant risk factor as the likelihood of developing breast cancer increases with age. Breast cancer is more common in women above the age of 50 who have reached menopause.
  It is advisable that all women between the ages of 50 and 70 get themselves screened for breast cancer once every 3 years to ensure early diagnosis.
• Family history
  Having a close relative, especially a parent or a sibling, who developed breast cancer greatly increases a woman’s risk of getting the ailment. However, this is not true in all the cases of the disease, as a study revealed that 9 out of 10 women diagnosed with breast cancer had no previous family history of the same.
  Women who carry BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes have a higher risk of developing ovarian or breast cancer, and these genes are often inherited.
• Being obese or overweight
  The risk of developing breast cancer increases with an increase in weight. Understandably, obese and overweight women are at a higher risk, especially after menopause.
• Excessive alcohol consumption
  Alcohol consumption increases the chances of developing breast cancer, and women who consume more than two standard drinks a day are at a higher risk.
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
  This is another factor associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Both combined HRT and estrogen-only HRT can increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer, although the risk is slightly higher in the case of combined HRT.
• Radiation exposure
  Being exposed to high energy rays can increase the chances of developing breast cancer.
• Having a child at a later age or not having a child at all
  Women who deliver a child at a young age are less likely to develop breast cancer than those who give birth at a later age. Also, not having a child is linked to increased chances of developing breast cancer.
• Age at puberty and menopause
  The menstruation cycle starting before the age of 12 or experiencing menopause after the age of 55 can increase a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer.
• Dense breast tissue
  Women with denser breast tissue are at an increased risk of developing the disease.

Being exposed to the aforementioned risk factors definitely increases the probabilities of developing breast cancer, but it doesn’t essentially mean that one will get this malaise. A lot of women who suffer from breast cancer have no known risks other than just their gender.