Women confused about what can increase or decrease your breast cancer risk

Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2007

2 out of 3 women mistakenly believe that most people who develop breast cancer get it because it runs in their family. In fact only 1 in 20 women diagnosed with breast cancer have a strong family history of the disease due to inherited faults in known breast cancer genes.

At the same time most women do not realise that simply getting older is their biggest risk factor, and that drinking alcohol increases their risk - or that regular exercise reduces it, according to a report released today from Breakthrough Breast Cancer, the UK's leading breast cancer charity.

As a result, Breakthrough is concerned that if some women assume they are not at risk of developing breast cancer, they may not realise how important it is to be breast aware, check for vital signs and symptoms of the disease, or attend breast screening appointments. These are crucial in helping early diagnosis, which gives the best chance of a successful outcome if breast cancer is found.

Breast cancer is thought to be caused by a combination of our genes, lifestyle and environment, however very little is known about the exact causes. A risk factor for breast cancer is something that may alter your likelihood of developing the disease.

Here to clear up the confusion about what might increase or decrease a woman's risk of breast cancer , Breakthrough Breast Cancer has produced an award winning booklet Breast Cancer Risk Factors: The Facts which you can download free from: Breakthrough or is available from the Breakthrough Information Line 08080 100 200.