Causes:
It’s not clear what causes breast cancer. Breast cancer occurs when some breast cells begin growing abnormally. These cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do. The accumulating cells form a tumor that may spread (metastasize) through your breast, to lymph nodes or to other parts of the body.
Breast cancer most often begins with cells in the milk-producing ducts. This type of breast cancer is Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Breast cancer may also begin in the lobules (invasive lobular carcinoma) or cells within the breast.
Researchers have identified things that can increase your risk of breast cancer. But it’s not clear why some people who have no risk factors develop cancer, yet other people with risk factors never do. It’s likely that breast cancer is caused by a complex combination of genetic makeup and the environment.
Inherited breast cancer:
Estimates show that 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutation passed through generations of a family. A number of inherited defective genes that can increase the likelihood of breast cancer have been identified. The most common are breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2), both of which increase the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.
If you have a strong family history of breast cancer or other cancers, blood tests may help identify defective BRCA or other genes that are being passed through your family. A Genetic counselor can review your family health history. A genetic counselor can also discuss the benefits, risks and limitations of genetic testing.
Risk factors
A risk factor is anything that makes it more likely to get a particular disease. But having one or even several risk factors doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll develop cancer — most women with breast cancer have no known risk factors other than simply being women.
Things that can increase the risk of breast cancer include:
- Being female. Women are much more likely than men are to develop breast cancer.
- Increasing age. Your risk of breast cancer increases as you age. Women older than 60 have a greater risk than do younger women.
- A personal history of breast cancer. If you’ve had breast cancer in one breast, you have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast.
- A family history of breast cancer. If you have a mother, sister or daughter with breast cancer, you have a greater chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Still, the majority of people diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease.
- Inherited genes that increase cancer risk. Certain gene mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer can be passed from parents to children. The most common gene mutations are referred to as BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes can greatly increase your risk of breast cancer and other cancers, but they don’t make cancer inevitable.
- Radiation exposure. If you received radiation treatments to your chest as a child or young adult, you’re more likely to develop breast cancer later in life.
- Obesity. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of breast cancer.
- Beginning your period at a younger age. Beginning your period before age 12 increases your risk of breast cancer.
- Beginning menopause at an older age. If you began menopause after age 55, you’re more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Having your first child at an older age. Women who give birth to their first child after age 35 may have an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Postmenopausal hormone therapy. Women who take hormone therapy medications that combine estrogen and progesterone to treat the signs and symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol may increase the risk of breast cancer.
Alternative medicine
No alternative medicine treatments have been found to cure breast cancer. But complementary and alternative medicine therapies may help cope with side effects of treatment when combined with the doctor’s care.
Alternative medicine for fatigue
Many breast cancer survivors experience fatigue during and after treatment that can continue for years. Doctors aren’t sure what causes cancer-related fatigue and it can persist despite treatment. When combined with the doctor’s care, complementary and alternative medicine therapies may help relieve fatigue.
- Gentle exercise. If the patient is cleared by the doctor, start with gentle exercise a few times a week and work up to more. Consider walking, swimming, yoga or tai chi.
- Managing stress. Take control of the stress in daily life. Try stress reduction techniques such as muscle relaxation, visualization and spending time with friends and family.
- Relaxation strategies. Balance activity with periods of relaxation. Try listening to music, writing in a journal, meditating or taking a warm bath.
Prevention
Breast cancer prevention for women with an average risk:
- Breast Cancer Screening.
- Become familiar with your breasts through breast self-exams. Ask your doctor to show you how to do a breast self-exam to check for any lumps or other unusual signs in your breasts. A breast self-exam can’t prevent breast cancer, but it may help you to better understand the normal changes that your breasts undergo and identify any unusual signs and symptoms.
- Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to less than one drink a day, if you choose to drink.
- Exercise most days of the week. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week. If you haven’t been active lately, ask your doctor whether it’s OK and start slowly.
- Limit postmenopausal hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer. Talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks of hormone therapy. Some women experience bothersome signs and symptoms during menopause and, for these women, the increased risk of breast cancer may be acceptable in order to relieve menopause signs and symptoms. To reduce the risk of breast cancer, use the lowest dose of hormone therapy possible for the shortest amount of time.
- Maintain a healthy weight. If your current weight is healthy, work to maintain that weight. If you need to lose weight, ask your doctor about healthy strategies to accomplish this. Reduce the number of calories you eat each day and slowly increase the amount of exercise. Aim to lose weight slowly — about 1 or 2 pounds a week.
