New Age Health Spa
If it hasn't already, breast cancer will likely touch you or someone you know. The disease will strike more than 200,000 times this year and claim more than 40,000 lives.

To predict when and whom breast cancer will strike, scientists look for clues or “risk factors” to signal which women may be more likely than others to develop the disease. The following risk factors help experts predict with some certainty a woman’s odds for developing breast cancer. It’s important to note, however, that this is not an exact science.

Having one or more of these risk factors does not mean a woman will develop breast cancer. In fact, 7 out of 10 breast cancers occur in women who exhibit no other risk factor other than simply being a woman. Knowing one’s risk factor profile, however, can help a woman and her doctor plan a course of action that may reduce her chances of ever getting the disease or at the very least to detect it in its earliest, most treatable stages.

The most common risk factors:
Age: About 82% of breast cancers occur past the age of 50.

Personal History: A history of breast cancer or other breast disease may predispose one to the development or reoccurrence of breast cancer. Family History: Risk increases for women whose mothers, sisters, or daughters have had the disease.

Breast Cancer Genes: In very rare cases, men and women may be born with an alteration in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 cells, which regulate breast growth.

Early Menstruation: Women who begin menstruating before the age of 12 are at increased risk.

Late Pregnancy: Pregnancy after the age of 35 may contribute to the incidence of breast cancer.

No Children: Childless women who experience continuous menstrual cycles until menopause are at increased risk.

Lifestyle choices: Common to all women, are daily lifestyle decisions that may effect their risk of breast cancer. These day-to-day choices involve factors such as poor diet, insufficient physical activity, alcohol use, and smoking. Besides possibly reducing the risk of breast cancer, lifestyle improvements represent smart steps for a healthier life, since they can also help prevent heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic, life-threatening illnesses.

Screening Guidelines Updated: In an article published in May of this year, the American Cancer Society revised its guidelines for breast cancer screening for the first time since 1997. Despite recent controversies over its usefulness, mammography is still considered the gold standard for early detection of breast cancer and is recommended annually beginning at age 40. The role of clinical breast examination [a physical examination performed by a health care professional] as well as breast self-examination have been updated to reflect a more general focus on self-awareness than on cancer detection. Your doctor will be able to help you determine your risk factors and assist you in making more informed decisions about breast health.