Causes of breast cancer

According to statistics on breast cancer incidence, it can be said that, unfortunately, this problem is only getting worse year after year. The percentage of people who have cancer is growing, despite improved methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this disease. The main problem is that the main causes of breast cancer, like other types of cancer, have not been fully established, although the study of this problem is very active.

While we can only guess about the true causes of cancer, we know much more about the factors that increase the risk and contribute to the development of malignant disease. This is what our article is about.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ]

Theories of the origin of breast cancer

There are several theories (hypotheses) that scientists try to explain the causes of breast cancer. These hypotheses are poorly studied, they do not have sufficient evidence, but they have every right to exist.

• Viral hypothesis - some scientists associate the formation of cancer with the result of an attack by a specific virus, which, unfortunately, has not yet been discovered.
• Genetic hypothesis – in certain cases, this hypothesis can explain the occurrence of the disease in several generations of relatives. However, this theory also remains only an assumption, since the genetic code or pathogen of breast cancer has not yet been identified.
• The hypothesis that cancer can be caused by the activity of certain types of helminths or chlamydia. This theory has the least number of adherents, since malignant cell degeneration can be observed in microorganisms and plants, which initially cannot contain either parasites or chlamydia.

Considering that the causes of breast cancer are only at the study stage, experts have identified a number of factors that increase the risk of developing a malignant process and contribute to the degeneration of healthy cells.

Other Possible Causes of Breast Cancer

1. Smoking (25% of cases).
2. Poor nutrition (dietary carcinogens, lack of fiber, insufficient fluid intake, obesity).
3. Chronic exposure to toxins (working in hazardous production, living near large industrial facilities or highways).
4. Alcohol abuse.
5. Sedentary lifestyle.

If you carefully evaluate the causes of breast cancer and draw the appropriate conclusions, then in the future you can avoid such a serious and dangerous disease. Be healthy!

Risk factors for breast cancer

1. Genetic predisposition: it is known that close relatives on the female line who have breast cancer in their family also have a tendency to the disease. Even types of genes have been identified that are supposedly responsible for the formation of malignant cells: these are the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. However, this factor continues to exist only in the category of theories, since specialists have recognized that the absence of these genes does not guarantee the impossibility of developing breast cancer. In addition, among all patients with breast cancer, only 1% have these genes.
2. Recurrence of cancer: It has been proven that women who have already undergone treatment for cancer tumors are more likely to get sick again. For example, if a patient has had cancer of the left gland treated, there is a greater risk that the process will form on the right one.
3. Hormonal changes in the female body: this factor is based on the fact that the mammary gland is a hormone-dependent organ. Therefore, its condition, as well as the processes of breast cell division, can be affected by the level of hormones, which, as is known, is unstable. The hormonal balance changes at the beginning of puberty, at the onset of menopause, during pregnancy, after childbirth. Therefore, during these periods, you should be especially careful about your health, visit a doctor and take the necessary tests.
4. Breast diseases: there is absolutely reliable information that inflammatory and some other breast diseases increase the risk of cancer. Such diseases include mastopathy, fibroadenoma, etc.
5. Long-term use of contraceptives (more than 8-10 years in a row), as well as in patients over 30 years of age who take such drugs for more than 3 years in a row.
6. Radiation exposure: this can occur both when living in an area with an unfavorable radiation environment and when undergoing radiation therapy on other organs. Frequent chest X-rays or regular sunbathing on the beach or in a solarium (especially topless) cannot be ruled out.

The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, usually when a woman is over 40. Cancer is rarely detected at a young age, but its course in this case is more aggressive and more difficult to treat.