Who is at high risk for breast cancer?

  Breast cancer is a major malignancy that threatens women’s health and now ranks first in the incidence of malignant tumors in women, with more than one million women worldwide suffering from breast cancer each year. Men can also develop breast cancer, but they are 100 times less likely to develop breast cancer than women. Breast cancer is mainly found in the upper outer quadrant of the breast.  It may appear as a small lump in the breast, mostly found unintentionally or during physical examination, with hard texture, poorly defined borders, little mobility, and mostly no obvious pain. If the lump is close to the nipple, the nipple may retract, deviate, or even overflow yellow water or blood from the nipple. More and more women are concerned about their breast health, especially if they are at high risk for breast cancer.  If you have some of the following conditions, you have a higher chance of developing breast cancer than the average person, which is often referred to as the “high risk group for breast cancer”. The following conditions are often referred to as “high risk group” for breast cancer: 1) having a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) with breast cancer; 2) carrying mutated breast cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes); 3) having had breast cancer on one side or ovarian cancer, colon cancer, etc.; 4) having atypical breast hyperplasia; 5) having two or more breast lumps biopsied and confirmed as benign breast disease. In addition, women who have never given birth or had their first child after the age of 30, have not breast-fed, are younger than 12 years old at menarche or older than 55 years old at menopause, have gained weight after menopause, have used birth control pills or had estrogen replacement therapy, drink alcohol, smoke and have low activity levels are also risk factors for the development of breast cancer and should be taken seriously by women.  Except for a few family genetic factors that cannot be changed, most of the risk factors can be improved, such as adhering to breastfeeding, consuming a low heat and low fat diet, increasing physical exercise and maintaining proper weight, not being addicted to smoking and alcohol, minimizing the use of birth control pills, and not undergoing estrogen replacement therapy. For some benign diseases of the breast, it is more important to carry out the necessary follow-up observation under the guidance of a doctor and give treatment if necessary.