Menopause itself is not associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. However, the rates of many cancers, including breast cancer, do increase with age. In addition, some of the drugs used to manage menopausal symptoms may increase or decrease a person's cancer risk.
What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
Certain factors increase the risk of developing breast cancer. However, having many risk factors does not mean a woman will develop breast cancer, and having no risk factors does not mean she will not develop the disease.
Age is the single most important risk factor for breast cancer. The chances of developing the disease increase with age. About 70 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer each year are over age 50, and almost half are age 65 and older.
Personal risk is also greater if an immediate family member (mother, sister or daughter) has had breast cancer, particularly if it was at an early age. Also, women who have had a breast biopsy (removal of breast tissue) that shows certain types of benign disease, such as atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ, are more likely to get breast cancer.
Other risk factors include:
- Having cancer in one breast (may develop in other)
- Late menopause (after age 55)
- Starting menstruation early in life (before age 10)
- Having a first child after age 30
- Never having children
- Never breastfeeding
- Gaining weight
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Excess alcohol or tobacco use
Can I prevent breast cancer?
While there is no definitive way to prevent breast cancer, there are steps you can take to detect the disease in its early stages and increase your chances of survival:
- If you are over 40, get a mammogram every year.
- Examine your breasts each month after your period.
- Have your breast examined by a health care provider at least once a year.
How is breast cancer diagnosed?
Detection of breast cancer in its early stages -- hopefully before it moves outside the breast -- can significantly improve the chances that treatment will be successful. The survival rate from breast cancer increases when the disease is detected and treated early.
There are two methods of early detection that involve physical examination of the breast: breast self-examination and clinical breast examination.
The American Cancer Society recommends that women age 20 and older do a breast self-exam each month. By doing the exam regularly, a woman becomes familiar with the normal feel of her breasts and can more easily notice changes. Any change should be reported promptly to a doctor.
Women ages 20 to 39 should have a doctor perform a breast exam every 3 years and then every year once they turn 40. The best time is after your period.
Mammography is an important method of early detection that uses low doses of X-rays to take a picture of breast tissue. The purpose of a mammogram is to find abnormalities that are too small to be seen or felt. However, mammograms will not detect all breast cancers, which is why physical breast exams are very important.
To find out if you are at increased risk for breast cancer, consult your doctor. Your doctor can tell you your estimated 5-year and lifetime risks for breast cancer by using the Gail model.
Does HT increase a woman’s chances of developing breast cancer?
Evidence suggests that the longer a woman is exposed to estrogen and progesterone (either made by the body or taken as a drug), the more likely she is to develop breast cancer. Hormone therapy (HT) is given to postmenopausal women or women who have had their ovaries surgically removed to replace the estrogen no longer produced by the ovaries. The longer a woman is on HT, the greater her chances may be of developing breast cancer; however, there is no evidence that death rates are higher in women who use long-term hormone therapy.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 1/19/2007
