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Lorraine Fitzpatrick, Richard Santen, Hormones, Women and Breast Cancer, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 89, Issue 10, 1 October 2004, Page E1, https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.89.10.9995
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Who is at risk for breast cancer?
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in American women, especially for those who started their periods early (before age 12) or reached menopause late (after age 55).
Breast cancer is more common among older women, women with no children, women who delayed pregnancy until after age 30, and women who have used combination hormone therapy (estrogen plus progestin) for more than five years.
Women can find out their individual risk for the disease through a questionnaire based on the Gail Model (see Risk Assessment Website below). This questionnaire is used to calculate your chances for developing breast cancer within five years and during your lifetime by looking at several factors, including your age and any family history of the disease.
What causes breast cancer?
Your genes and your hormones play a role in breast cancer but we don’t know exactly how. We know that estrogen (the major female hormone) and progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone, another female hormone) can cause breast tissue to grow faster than normal. Cancer usually appears in tissue that grows fast.
