Breast cancer researchers have not determined the causes of the disease, but the likelihood of developing breast cancer has been linked to a number of risk factors. A risk factor for breast cancer is anything that is seen more often in those who develop breast cancer than in those who do not. There are two types of risk factors; modifiable and non-modifiable. Although risk factors are associated with higher risk for breast cancer, they have not been shown to directly cause the disease.
It is important to note that some women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors other than being a woman.
Also important to note is that not all risk factors bear the same amount of risk; some are linked to a significant increase in risk and others are linked to a small increase in risk.
Risk factors are identified from many research studies and from large numbers of study participants. However, they cannot be regarded as rules or guarantees. What we know about breast cancer today cannot accurately predict what will happen to you or any other individual.
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