Risk factors
The recognized risk factors are:
- Age.
- A genetic predisposition (mainly mutation of the BRCA genes giving an over-risk of breast and ovarian cancer, but other rarer hereditary predispositions also exist).
- Overexposure to endogenous estrogens (early menstruation, late first pregnancy, lack of pregnancy, lack of prolonged breastfeeding, late menopause, overweight and obesity).
- Overexposure to exogenous estrogens (hormonal treatment for prolonged menopause).
- Personal history of breast disease.
- A personal history of chest radiotherapy (mainly Hodgkin's disease in childhood or adolescence).
- Finally, exposure to alcohol and tobacco.
It is possible to act on certain factors (we have underlined them) to limit the risk of developing cancer, or to reduce the risk of relapse after treatment for breast cancer.
