Breast cancer

NON MODIFICABLE RISK FACTORS

• Female gender (assigned at birth).
• Age. Four out of five breast cancers occur in women over 50 years.
• Carriers of a high-risk breast gene such as the BRCA mutation or the TP53 gene.
• Women with a high-risk family history of breast cancer. NICE has produced helpful criteria to identify women considered above population risk for breast cancer based on their family history. See NICE guidance.
• Individuals with a biopsy proven high-risk benign breast condition such as epithelial atypia or lobular carcinoma in situ.
• Having dense breast tissue on mammogram.

MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS

• Drinking alcohol.
• Being overweight or obese.
• Taking the oral contraceptive pill.
• Taking hormone replacement therapy.

For information on assessing women with risk factors for breast cancer see high risk for breast cancer section.

Breastfeeding and physical activity may reduce risk of breast cancer.