About Breast Cancer

Risk Factors

1. Women with the following risk factors are at increased risk of breast cancer:

   • Confirmed carrier (or family history) of certain gene mutations (e.g. BRCA1 or BRCA2)
   • Family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, such as first-degree relative (i.e. mother, sister or daughter) diagnosed with breast cancer before age of 50
   • History of receiving radiation therapy to the chest before age of 30

   
2. Other risk factors include:

   • Lack of physical activity
   • Alcohol consumption
   • Obesity after menopause
   • Advancing age
   • No childbirth, late first live birth (after age of 30) or no breastfeeding
   • Early menarche (before age of 12) or late menopause (after age of 55)
   • History of breast cancer or ovarian cancer
   • History of benign breast conditions or lobular carcinoma in situ
   • Receiving hormonal replacement therapy
   • Using combined oral contraceptives