Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in American
women. An estimated 213,000 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer
in 2006. The risk of breast cancer increases as women get older. Over the years,
researchers have identified certain characteristics, usually called risk
factors, which influence a woman's chance of getting the disease. Still, many
women who develop breast cancer have no known risk factors other than growing
older, and many women with known risk factors do not develop breast cancer.
2. What is the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool?
The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool is a computer program that was
developed by scientists at the National Cancer Institute and the National
Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) to assist health care
providers in discussing breast cancer risk with their female patients. The tool
allows a health professional to project a woman's individual estimate of breast
cancer risk over a 5-year period of time and over her lifetime and compares the
woman's risk calculation with the average risk for a woman of the same age. The
Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool can be found at: http://www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool.
3. What are the risk factors used to estimate breast cancer risk in the
Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool?
The risk factors included in the tool are:
Personal history of breast abnormalities. Two breast tissue abnormalities -- ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) -- are associated with increased risk for developing invasive breast cancer.
Age. The
risk of developing breast cancer increases with age. The majority of breast
cancer cases occur in women older than age 50.
Age at menarche (first menstrual
period). Women who had their first menstrual period before age 12 have a
slightly increased risk of breast cancer.
Age at first live birth. Risk depends
on age at first live birth and family history of breast cancer, as shown in the
following table of relative risks.
Relative Risk of Developing Breast Cancer*
Age at first live birth
# of affected relatives
0
1
2
20 or younger
1
2.6
6.8
20-24
1.2
2.7
5.8
25-29 or no child
1.5
2.8
4.9
30 or older
1.9
2.8
4.2
For women with 0 or 1 affected relative, risks increase with age at first
live birth. For women with 2 or more first degree relatives, risks decrease with
age at first live birth.
* Adapted from Table 1, Gail MH, Brinton LA, Byar DP, Corle DK, Green SB,
Shairer C, Mulvihill JJ: Projecting individualized probabilities of developing
breast cancer for white females who are being examined annually. J Natl Cancer
Inst 81(24):1879-86, 1989. [PubMed Abstract]
Breast cancer among first-degree relatives (sisters, mother, daughters).
Having one or more first-degree blood relatives who have been diagnosed with
breast cancer increases a woman's chances of developing the disease.
Breast
biopsies. Women who have had breast biopsies have an increased risk of breast
cancer, especially if the biopsy showed a change in breast tissue, known as
atypical hyperplasia. These women are at increased risk because of whatever
prompted the biopsies, not because of the biopsies themselves.
Race. White women
have greater risk of developing breast cancer than Black women (although Black
women diagnosed with breast cancer are more likely to die of the disease).
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop, also called the “change of life." Menopause symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, irregular vaginal bleeding, vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, urinary incontinence, weight gain, and emotional symptoms such as mood swings. Treatment of menopausal symptoms varies, and should be discussed with your physician.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. Symptoms include a lump in the breast or underarm area, nipple pain, change in breast size or shape, an inverted nipple, nipple discharge, and breast skin changes. Treatment may involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery.
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
Normal vaginal bleeding (menorrhea) occurs through the process of menstruation. Abnormal vaginal bleeding in women who are ovulating regularly most commonly involves excessive, frequent, irregular, or decreased bleeding. Causes of abnormal may arise from a variety of conditions.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
There are a number of different methods of birth control to include: barrier methods, IUDs, hormonal methods, natural methods, and surgical sterilization. Birth control methods can be reversible or permanent. In simple terms, all methods of birth control are based on either preventing a man's sperm from reaching and entering a woman's egg (fertilization) or preventing the fertilized egg from implanting in the woman's uterus (her womb) and starting to grow.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Lifestyle changes, a healthy antioxidant-rich diet, exercise, and weight reduction can help reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. It's important to be aware of how risk factors such as family history, lifestyle factors, breast conditions, radiation therapy, and hormonal factors may influence your chances of developing breast cancer. Mammography and breast self-examinations are crucial steps in breast cancer prevention.
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