Bone Marrow Transplantation for Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer in Young Women »

Introduction

Younger women generally do not consider themselves to be at risk for breast cancer. Only 5 percent of all breast cancer cases occur in women under 40 years old. However, breast cancer can strike at any age, and all women should be aware of their personal risk factors for breast cancer. (A risk factor is a condition or behavior that puts a person at risk for developing a disease.)

There are several factors that put a woman at high risk for developing breast cancer, including:

Risk factors include:

• A personal history of breast cancer or non-cancerous breast disease
• A family history of breast cancer, particularly in a mother, daughter or sister
• History of radiation therapy Evidence of a specific genetic defect (BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation). Women who carry defects on either of these genes are at greater risk for developing bre...

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