BENGALURU : Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among Indian women and accounts for 27 per cent of all cancers in women. About 1 in 28 women are likely to develop breast cancer during their lifetime. In the urban areas, the incidence is 1 in 22 as compared to the rural areas where 1 in 60 women develop breast cancer. The incidence begins to rise in the early thirties and peaks at the age of 50 to 64 years.
The exact cause of breast cancer is not known. However, several factors affect our risk of developing breast cancer. The chances of developing the disease depends on a combination of genes, lifestyle, life choices and the environment.Women are more likely to get breast cancer than men. As you get older, the risk of breast cancer increases. The highest incidence is observed in women over the age of 50.
What are the causes?
Women who got their periods at an early age have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. The earlier you hit puberty, higher the risk. The increase in risk is probably because of the longer exposure to the female hormone estrogen.
Sometimes, it could be hereditary as well. Breast cancer may run in the family. Of all women who develop breast cancer, up to 15 per cent have had a significant family history of the disease and about 1 in 20 have inherited a fault in a gene linked to breast cancer.
The amount of tissue compared to fat in your breasts is known as breast density. Having high breast density (a low proportion of fat) is one of the biggest risk factors for breast cancer. The breast density tends to gradually reduce over time, but because age is also a risk factor for breast cancer, it does not mean that your risk reduces as your breasts change. In fact, your risk of breast cancer increases as you get older.
Women who go through menopause later have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. It is probably because these women are exposed to the female hormone oestrogen for longer than women who go through the menopause earlier.
Factors that increase the risk of breast cancer are: Weight gain, lack of exercise, alcohol, hormone replacement therapy, the combined oral contraceptive pill, ionizing radiation, radiotherapy, stress and possibly shift work.
Pregnancy and breast feeding reduce the risk. Age and number of pregnancies also affect the risk. The earlier the pregnancies and the more the number of pregnancies, the lesser is the risk of cancer. Breast feeding slightly reduces your risk of breast cancer and the longer you breast-feed, the more your risk of breast cancer is reduced. Breast feeding may reduce the risk by altering the balance of hormones in the body and by delaying the periods.- Author is a senior obstetrician and gynaecologist and director, Fortis La Femme
Mammograms for women above 50 recommended
Breast cancer cannot be prevented. However, if it is detected early, it is easier to treat. In the past, breast self-examination was advocated to help pick up cancer early. However, breast exams are no longer a part of the screening recommendations because research shows they do not provide clear results. Still, the American Cancer Society says all women should be familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel and report any changes to their doctor immediately. Mammograms are advocated as screening procedure to pick up early cancer. These can be done at an age of 50 at regular intervals as recommended by your doctor.