Causes Of Breast Cancer

QUESTION: Causes of breast cancer - What are they?

ANSWER:

No one is exactly sure what causes breast cancer. However, researchers have identified some areas of risk. What this means is that you may be at a higher risk of developing breast cancer than those who do not fall into the following categories or have the following lifestyle habits.

Family History - Women who have a family history of breast cancer are more at risk to develop it than women who do not breast cancer in their genealogies. Researchers have also identified breast cancer genes, and if you have these genes, you are at a greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who do not.

Children - If you have your children late in life or have no children at all, you are also at a higher risk.

Menstruation Patterns - If you started menstruation early or experienced a late menopause you also have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. In addition, some forms of hormone replacement treatments for menopause have been linked to a higher incidence of breast cancer.

Weight - Excessive weight can increase your risk of contracting breast cancer. Living life at an unhealthy weight, in combination with other factors like those listed here, put women in to a high-risk category for many health conditions.
Alcohol Consumption - A recent study by the American Cancer Society found that postmenopausal women's risk of breast cancer may be increased if they consume as little as one drink per day. However, alcohol use is thought to be associated with increased levels of estradiol -- a form of estrogen that has been linked to breast cancer for women of any age bracket.

The causes of breast cancer are unpredictable and with the various risk factors that cannot be eliminated or monitored, the risk categories are constantly being expanded. Alcohol consumption is a lifestyle choice over which we do have control - similar to other preventive measures like following a low-fat diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and not smoking.

Are the causes of breast cancer something you worry about? With all of the ambiguity surrounding the causes and risk categories, it's good to know that we have Someone we can go to with all of our questions, worries, and thoughts on breast cancer and anything that troubles our minds. "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles" (Psalm 34:17).