What Causes Breast Cancer?

What Causes Breast Cancer

What Causes Breast Cancer?

We know that breast cancer occurs when there is a sudden change in the growth of the cells that make up the composition and structure of the female breast. In fact, research reveals that breast cancer can also affect men as well.

The way the cells are created in the body is determined by our DNA. Some people are more prone to developing breast cancer than others, which may be caused by genetic factor. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are tumor suppressant genes that keep the cancer cells to grow.

The presence of this cancer suppressing genes helps abnormal cells to die off during the initial stages of  their development. This is the way the body protects itself form further damage. When these protective cells mutate and cease to function normally there is a greater risk of developing cancerous cells in the body.

So are genes the ultimate determinant of anyone developing cancer through their lifetime? No.  There a re a dozen more risk factors that can cause a person to develop breast cancer. Well what causes breast cancer?

Women are more prone to develop breast cancer cells than men. In fact the occurrence of breast cancer in women is a hundred times more frequent than those found in men,

Age:

The older a person is the higher the risk of getting breast cancer  In fact, more than half of the breast cancer cases are found in women above the age of 56.

Genes:

The mutation of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in the female body Is linked with the development of cancer cells in the breast.

Family History:

If a female member of the family has breast cancer, then there is a high risk of a woman developing breast cancer during some stage of her life. However, research reveals that in 80% of the cases of breast cancer patients, they do not have a female member who is afflicted with the condition.

Racial:

Perhaps it is genetic factors and some attribute it to diet and lifestyle but some races tend to develop breast cancer easier than other races. For instance white women tend to have breast cancer but with a lower mortality rate than other races.

Breast Density:

Women with full, dense breasts are more prone to develop breast cancer than those with tiny breasts. While this is highly linked to the presence of more mammary glands in the breasts, science is still baffled to the relationship between a dense breast and the presence of breast cancer.

Stress:

Women undergoing high amounts of stress may experience hormonal changes that cause breast cancer to develop.

You should always consult with your doctor before beginning any medical treatment.

For additional information about what causes breast cancer visit our previous post.