Many different factors increase or decrease a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. Being a woman is the most common risk factor, followed by increasing age. However, other factors, such as the number of pregnancies a woman has or the length of time she’s been breastfeeding, may also increase or decrease the likelihood of developing breast cancer. The type of cancer you develop depends on your genetic makeup and your age at diagnosis. Below are some risk factors for breast cancer:
Your family history is the most significant risk factor for developing breast cancer. If you have any close blood relatives with the disease, your risk more than doubles. If you have two close blood relatives, your risk doubles. The mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of breast cancer by five times. Genetic testing is available to detect whether you are at high risk for developing breast or ovarian cancer. Because genetic testing is so complex, you should discuss your family history with your physician or genetic counselor.
A lumpectomy removes only the lump, while a mastectomy removes the entire breast. A surgeon must make sure that all cancer cells are removed by establishing “margin-free” margins. If the margins are not clear, the cancer has spread and may have metastasized. Further operations may be necessary to remove more tissue or part of the pectoralis major muscle. In addition, sentinel node dissection removes fewer lymph nodes and is generally associated with fewer side effects.
Another type of breast cancer is called invasive or metastatic. The cancerous cells are invasive when they spread from the breast to other areas of the body. This type of cancer is the most common and can spread throughout the body. There are two major types of breast cancer: invasive and non-invasive. The former type usually begins in the milk duct and grows into the fatty tissue of the breast, while the latter may spread to other parts of the body.
Inflammatory breast cancer has a different set of symptoms than invasive cancer. Inflammatory cancer has a tendency to appear red and swollen. It may be pink or red in color, and it accounts for about one percent of all cases of breast cancer. If the cancer has spread to the ducts, it can cause lymphedema, which is swelling in the soft tissues of the body. However, this condition can be treated.
A tumor can develop in different parts of the breast, such as the inner lining of the milk ducts or the lobules that supply milk. It can then spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Doctors determine the stage of cancer by the size of the tumor and the spread of the cancer to lymph nodes. In addition to breast cancer, it can also affect the skin, chest wall, and lymph nodes.
Although most breast cancers occur in women, men have breast tissue. Men can develop breast cancer and about one in every 100 cases in the United States will be diagnosed in 2022. In addition to women, men are also more likely to develop invasive breast cancer, with invasive ductal carcinomas being the most common. Men with family history of the disease or certain gene mutations increase the risk. Even if there is no family history of breast cancer, men are at increased risk of developing it.
