The Main Causes Of Breast Cancer

In breast cancer, malignancies develop in the breast tissues.  Today we will tell you what are the main causes of breast cancer, and how to protect yourself from it.

Breast cancer and diagnosis

Breast cancer is a cancer that mainly affects women, but men can also get breast cancer.

Thousands of women die of breast cancer every year because, although cancer therapies have evolved a lot over the years, breast cancer is often detected at a late stage when it has already spread to other parts of the body – making it much more difficult to treat.

The prognosis of many people with breast cancer has improved thanks to medicine and advanced treatments, and breast cancer can often be treated successfully.

Breast cancer can be difficult to detect because it often does not cause any significant symptoms – the first sign for many is changes in the chest, such as finding a nodule suddenly.

Who belongs to the risk group to get sick

As we mentioned earlier, breast cancer is commonly perceived as a cancer in women, although it is also found in men. The risk of breast cancer increases as we get older, and people over the age of 50 in particular are at risk of developing cancer.

For this reason, regular mammography screening is carried out in Finland among those over 50 years of age. Men are a hundred times less likely to develop breast cancer than women.

The main causes of breast cancer and the factors that affect them are;

Family illness background

Several studies have shown that individuals with a family history of breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, or colon cancer are at a significantly higher risk of developing the same type of cancer. Cancer is passed down from generation to generation.

Genetic aspects

Preliminary studies suggest that the development of breast cancer may be affected by a defective gene that a patient inherits from either parent.

Often, this defect is found in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, which is responsible for the production of proteins that protect against cancer. A defect found in these genes increases the risk of developing cancer at some point in life by up to 80%.

Menstrual cycle

Such women whose menstrual periods began at an early age, often before the age of 12, are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. Similarly, women whose menopause begins relatively late, after the age of 55, are more prone to cancer.

Previous cancer

Patients who have had or have had breast cancer in one breast are at higher risk of developing cancer in the other breast as well. Recurrence of cancer is also common.

Drinking alcohol

According to many studies, consuming one or two alcoholic beverages daily increases the risk of developing breast cancer.

Having children at a later age

Women who do not have children at all or do not have children until after the age of 30 are more prone to breast cancer. Several pregnancies at a relatively early stage of life, in turn, protect against the disease.

Hormone therapy

Long-term estrogen therapy increases the risk of breast cancer. Estrogen can be used e.g. in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.

Overweight

The link between being overweight and breast cancer has not been fully mapped, but experts say overweight women produce more estrogen than normal ones, and this can lead to the development of breast cancer. The risk increases, especially for older women who are overweight.

Radiation

Continuous exposure to X-rays and CT scan radiation significantly increases the risk of breast cancer. Radiation therapy received as a child or adult to treat cancer in the thoracic region also increases the risk of breast cancer. The risk depends on how much radiation therapy was given and at what age.

Diet

The link between breast cancer and diet has not been able to be pinpointed, but many studies show that poor quality nutrition has a negative effect on the health of the entire body and there is research evidence that certain foods increase the risk of cancer.

Processed foods, hard fats, sugar and other harmful substances can increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

Risk factors without research evidence

Today, many women are concerned about the possible association of chemicals in antiperspirants and deodorants, especially aluminum, with breast cancer.

However, current studies have not been able to demonstrate a link between these products and the development of breast cancer. The association of breast implants or exposure to insecticides with breast cancer has also not been demonstrated.