Breast Cancer

The cause of breast cancer is not known, but some things are known to increase your chances of getting breast cancer.

Some risk factors like family history, race and age are non-modifiable factors you cannot change. Other risk factors, like being obese and drinking alcohol and other lifestyle factors, can be changed to help prevent cancer.

Non-modifiable risk factors include:

• Family history: If you have an immediate family member (mother, daughter, or sister) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, your risk of getting breast cancer is higher than normal.
• Genetics: People who have inherited certain mutated genes from either of their parents can have a higher risk of getting women breast cancer. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common inherited genes to cause breast cancer.
• Sex: Some men get breast cancer, but women are far more likely to get breast cancer than men.
• Having dense breasts: Dense breast tissue can make it harder to find tumors on a regular screening mammogram. Women with dense breast tissue are also at higher risk of developing breast cancer.  
• Age: After age 50, your risk of breast cancer increases.
• Personal history: If you’ve already had breast cancer, you have a higher risk of getting it again.

Modifiable risk factors:  

• Being overweight or obese: Women with obesity after menopause have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than those at a healthy weight.  
• Drinking alcohol: Alcohol use is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer
• Not getting enough exercise: Regular physical activity reduces in breast cancer risk.  
• Not having children: Women who have not had children or had their first child after age 30 have a slightly higher risk of breast cancer 

Not all breast cancers have symptoms that you’ll notice. Screening tests are the most effective way to find breast cancer early, before the tumor has grown and spread.

Early detection can prevent death from breast cancer, because smaller tumors that are in the early stage of development are easier to treat successfully than tumors that have had time to grow and spread.

A screening is a test that looks for a disease when you have no symptoms. Women should have screening tests for breast cancer regularly. You should talk to your provider to learn how often to have those screenings.

The most common screening test is a mammogram, which is an X-ray of the breast that is used to find signs of cancer. UI Health Care uses the latest technology and techniques like digital breast tomosynthesis or 3D mammography.

If breast cancer is suspected, your care team will perform additional screening or a biopsy to confirm the tumor is cancerous.

Your age, menopausal status, stage and the type of breast cancer you have will determine how your breast cancer is treated. Most patients will receive a combination of treatments including breast cancer surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and clinical trials.

At Holden, your care team of breast cancer specialists consists of experts from different fields of medicine who only treat breast cancer patients. These specialists work together as a group to choose the best treatment options for you and your cancer.

Your team includes radiologists, medical oncologists, breast surgical oncologists, radiation oncologists, plastic surgeons, genetic counselors, pathologists, pharmacists, nurses, and laboratory-based scientists.

Together they will create a personalized treatment plan that may include a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, or a clinical trial.