Are you at risk of breast cancer?

Are you worried you may be at risk of breast cancer?

Put the risk factors for breast cancer in perspective – the greatest risk factor for breast cancer is a family history of breast cancer in a close relative.

The next major risk factor for breast cancer is increasing age so that breast cancer under the age of 35 years is much less common than breast cancer after the age of fifty.

Other risk factors such as late menopause, late first birth, HRT use and alcohol consumption are much smaller risk factors for breast cancer.

Did you know that women who consume a low fat diet and women who exercise regularly have a lower risk of breast cancer?

The benefits of low fat diets and regular exercise on heart disease are well publicized but the associated lowered risk of breast cancer is poorly advertised.

Understanding risk

Cancer Australia has a dedicated website Breast Cancer The risk factors that provides comprehensive information concerning risk.

"As a woman, over the course of your lifetime there are many factors that can influence your risk of breast cancer.

While some of the most important of these risk factors, such as being a woman, getting older or having a strong family history cannot be changed, you can still aim to reduce risk of breast cancer through making healthy lifestyle choices and other risk-reducing strategies.

You can also improve your chance of better outcomes by being breast aware and knowing what to do about finding breast cancer early."

Risk Calculator 

 iPrevent

This web-based tool https://www.petermac.org/iprevent is available to help women understand their personal breast cancer risk and then act on it. It is designed to be used collaboratively by women and their doctors. Women can use it at home, print the output, and bring it to a consultation for discussion.

Content Updated January 2021