Reducing the risk of female cancer- part 2

Samiksha knows that all cancers are not preventable. At the same time she wants to make sure that she does the right things to reduce the risk of getting cancer. She is well aware that many types of cancer can be cured if they are detected and treated early. Being aware of the types of female cancer and how to prevent them or detect them early can help protect your health.

Breast cancer  

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women. Approximately, one out of every twenty two Indian women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. Though this is much less than the incidence in developed countries, the incidence continues to climb in the urban environment.

Some risk factors that have been linked to breast cancer are:

• Age: the incidence increases above 50 years and is very low below 25 years. The disease is more aggressive in younger patients
• Family history of breast cancer, especially in one's mother or a sister
• Never having been married or given birth to a child. Breast feeding protects against breast cancer
• Inheriting abnormal genes (BRCA1 or BRCA2). These genes also increase the risk of ovarian cancer
• Use of birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy for more than 10 years
• Being exposed to radiation (for treatment of other cancers)
• Previous history of breast cancer