Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

Scientifically accepted risk factors:

Gender – being a woman is the strongest risk factor.  Men can also develop breast cancer, but it is 100  to 150 times less common.

Age – increasing age is a well known risk factor for many cancers.  Breast cancer is very rare below age 20, but increases steadily every year thereafter.

Age of menarche -  The age at the time of your first period is a very important risk factor. As a simple rule, the older you were when your period began, the lower your risk of breast cancer.

Age of first pregnancy -  Completion of a full term pregnancy has for centuries been recognized as a protective event in the development of breast cancer.  The early the pregnancy, the lower the risk.

Possible risk factors (scientific data is still pending)