Risk Factors

Content Source: Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Research has found several risk factors that may increase your chances of getting breast cancer.

Risk factors that increase risk of breast cancer include—

• Getting older.
• Being younger when you first had your menstrual period.
• Starting menopause at a later age.
• Being older at the birth of your first child.
• Never giving birth.
• Not breastfeeding.
• Personal history of breast cancer or some non-cancerous breast diseases.
• Family history of breast cancer (mother, sister, daughter).
• Treatment with radiation therapy to the breast/chest.
• Being overweight (increases risk for breast cancer after menopause).
• Long-term use of hormone replacement therapy (estrogen and progesterone combined).
• Having changes in the breast cancer-related gene
• Using birth control pills, also called oral contraceptives.
• Drinking alcohol (more than one drink a day).
• Not getting regular exercise.

Having a risk factor does not mean you will get the disease. Most women have some risk factors and most women do not get breast cancer. If you have breast cancer risk factors, talk with your doctor about ways you can lower your risk and about screening for breast cancer.