Breast Cancer: The number speaks Worldwide, breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women ages 35 to 54. More than a million women develop breast cancer without even knowing it. Almost 500,000 die from it every year. 1 out of 4 individuals diagnosed with breast cancer die within the first five years. More than 405 die within ten years. Mammography fails to detect as much as 20% of all breast cancer cases and as mush as 40% in women under 50.

Breast Cancer: The number speaks (cont.) The Philippines has the highest incidence in Asia and 9th highest in the world. Breast Cancer is the number 1 cause of death among Filipino women.

Risks Factors of Breast Cancer

RISK FACTORS of Breast Cancer Age. Older women have a greater risk of developing breast cancer. Personal history of breast cancer. Women who have had breast cancer in one breast have a greater change of getting cancer in other breast. Family history. If you have a close relative with breast cancer or ovarian cancer, you have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Exposure to radiation. People who receive radiation treatments to the chest as a child, teen, or young adult are more likely to get breast cancer later in life. Excess weight. Being overweight or obese increase the risk breast cancer. Early onset of menstruation. Women who get their first period before age 12 are more likely to develop breast cancer later.

RISK FACTORS of Breast Cancer (cont.) Late menopause. Women who undergo menopause after age 55 are more likely to develop breast cancer. First pregnancy at older age. Women who have never become pregnant or had their first pregnancy after age of 30 have a greater likelihood of developing breast cancer. Race. White women are more likely to develop breast cancer than black, hispanic or Asian women are. Hormome therapy. Treating menopausal symptoms with estrogen and progesterone for four years or more increases the risk of breast cancer. Mammographic breast density. Women with dense breast tissue (with a high ratio of connective and grandular tissue to fat) have an increased risk of breast cancer.

RISK FACTORS of Breast Cancer (cont.) Birth Control pills. Use of birth control pills is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women. However, the overall risk of breast cancer for users of birth control pills is small and appears to be short term. Risk levels return to normal within 5-10 years after discontinuing use. Precancerous breast changes (atypical hyperplasia, lobular carcinoma in situ). If these changes are present, your risk of breast cancer is higher than it is for women who don’t have any of these so-called “markers.” If you have carcinoma in situ, ask your doctor about treatment and monitoring.

RISK FACTORS of Breast Cancer (cont.) Smoking. Some studies show no link between cigarette smoking exposure to secondhand smoke and breast cancer, but other suggest that smoking increases breast cancer risk. Excessive use of alcohol. Women who take more than one alcohol drink a day have a greater risk of breast cancer than women who don’t drink.

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