Breast cancer is the number one cause of death among women all over the world. A research conducted in the year 2000 showed 30.2 percent out of 100 females has breast cancer. It is known that people with a history of cancer in the family have higher risks than people with no such history. But it does not necessarily mean that they will not get the disease.

A doctor said that some women who have one or more breast cancer risk factors never develop the disease, and most women with breast cancer have no apparent risk factors. Even when a woman with breast cancer has risk factor, there is definitely no way to prove that it actually caused her cancer.

Women are more prone to breast cancer because they have more breast cells than men and perhaps because their cells are constantly exposed to the growth-promoting effects of female hormones. Men can also develop breast cancer, but this disease is more common among women then men.

The risk of developing breast cancer increases as one gets older. Although 18 percent of breast cancer develops among women in their late 40s, about 77 percent of women with breast cancer are older than 50 when they are diagnosed.

Most women, sometime in their lives, develop lumps in their breasts. Contrary to beliefs, most lumps are not malignant. In fact, 8 out of 10 lumps are harmless. A diagnosis must be made by a pathologist, a doctor who looks at the cells under a microscope, to find out if the tissue is normal or cancerous.

The American Cancer Society says that belonging to a particular race also contributes to the intensity of the risk factors. Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women have a lower risk of developing breast cancer as compared with white American women. Iin some research, studies suggest that breast feeding may slightly lower breast cancer risk especially when breast cancer feeding is continued for 1 ½ to 2 years.

The amount of fat intake can also be associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer especially for those with menopausal age. Having more fat tissues can increase estrogen levels and thus increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer. Nowadays, with modern technology in our midst, women must be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of having breast implants like silicone. Any foreign body entering your system always has its corresponding side effects.

Cancer can strike anyone at anytime. Most women with breast cancer have no known risk factors except that they are women. So no one should be exempt from being vigilant. The causes of breast cancer remain unknown but as they say, prevention is better than cure. Hence, a breast examination is a must for women. The earlier the detection of breast cancer, the better chance you have for survival.

For now, there are only four ways to fight the deadly breast cancer: education, breast self-examination, clinical examination and mammography.

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