Non-Hereditary and Hereditary Risk Factors of Breast Cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is a worldwide health concern with the incidence rate increasing from year by year. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women and is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women in both developed and developing countries. Breast cancer initiation and progression is a complex, multistage process. Breast cancer is caused by inherited or acquired genetic changes in the somatic cells of the breast. In spite of significant advances in breast cancer research, there are still many unresolved concerns. Therefore, the investigation of risk factors associated with breast cancer continues to be a topic of interest and research. The main risk factors in the development of breast cancer may be unchangeable factors such as genetics, age and gender and may also be changeable factors such as those associated with lifestyle and environment. By recognizing breast cancer risk factors, it is possible to reduce the risk of developing this cancer and thus reduce the mortality associated with it, especially among women with these risk factors. This study aims to present the latest developments in the field of studying and identifying risk factors for breast cancer, as this topic is still one of the most important topics that are focused on reducing the risk of breast cancer and finding effective therapies to treat patients with this disease. To achieve this aim, we focused on the latest studies that have worked to identify risk factors for breast cancer. As a result, risk factors have been found to be either changeable or unchangeable. Changeable factors can be managed, while unchangeable factors are still being researched in order to find the most effective therapies to either prevent or control breast cancer.