Beyond the Lump
Age
The Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation says it quite plainly: "Age is an established risk for breast cancer." Women under 40 are less likely to get it than women over 70. The median age for women with breast cancer is 62, although that number changes based on ethnicity and race.
Men
Breast cancer in women receives much more attention than men, but that doesn't mean it can't happen. One percent of all breast cancers in the United States occur in men, according to Komen, with the chance of it happening 1 in 1,000 (compared with 1 in 8 for women). However, men tend to wait longer to seek help if they find a lump, which can mean they're less likely to be cured.
Breast Density
Women with dense breasts are six times more likely to develop breast cancer, according to BreastCancer.org. And breast density is often inherited, which means if your mom's breasts were dense, chances are yours are, too. Mammograms are one way to measure the thickness of breast tissue, although your doctor may determine that additional screenings, such as MRIs or ultrasounds, could also be necessary.
Menstrual History
If you got your first period before age 12, you'll have a higher risk of breast cancer later on. Hand-in-hand with menstruating is developing breasts, so if they're forming earlier, "they're ready to interact with hormones inside and outside your body, as well as with chemicals in products that are hormone disruptors. This longer interaction with hormones and hormone disruptors can increase risk," according to BreastCancer.org.
Birth Control Pills
Oral contraceptives (otherwise known as the pill) contain synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone, which, according to MD Anderson, changes a woman's hormone levels—and that can trigger breast cancer. The good news is the increased risk is only slight, and temporary, and it goes back to normal five years after going off the pill. (The pill can also protect against other forms of cancer, which makes it doubly worth a discussion with your doctor.)
Alcohol
The American Institute for Cancer Research does not mince words: "Drinking just one glass of wine or other alcoholic drink a day increases breast cancer risk." A study released in Spring 2017 that had data on 12 million women found "strong evidence" that a drink each day upped the increase of pre-menopausal breast cancer by 5 percent and post-menopausal breast cancer by 9 percent.
