About 240,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. However, not all women have the same risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime. Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer risk factors include increased blood levels of estrogen. However, increased blood levels of progesterone are associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women.
Not having children, delaying your first childbirth, not breastfeeding, early menarche (the first menstrual period) and late menopause have all been suspected of increasing lifetime risk for developing breast cancer as well.
General Breast Cancer Risk Factors
- Age
- Family History
- Medical History
- Hormonal Influences
- Birth Control Pills
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Obesity
- Physical Activity
- Alcohol
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