| Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in | | | | hormone replacement therapy, previous benign |
| American women. Approximately one out of eight | | | | breast biopsies, age at first childbirth, and others. |
| women will develop breast tumor in their lifetime. It | | | | However, on an individual basis, there is no reliable |
| would be so nice to tell ahead of time which is the | | | | method to predict who will develop breast cancer. |
| unlucky one out of every eight patients. But there is | | | | Furthermore, there is no way to determine what |
| simply no reliable method to accurately predict the | | | | role, if any, a particular risk factor plays in the |
| future occurrence of breast malignancy in any one | | | | development of an individual's breast neoplasm, with |
| individual patient. Everyone must understand that the | | | | the exception of a genetic link (BRCA gene). In an |
| individual breast cancer risk calculated by | | | | individual woman, identification of specific risk factors |
| mathematical models merely refers to the group of | | | | is absolutely not the same as identification of any |
| women that the individual patient belongs to. | | | | cause or contributing factor to the development of |
| The consensus opinion in the field of breast cancer | | | | breast malignancy. Therefore, if you should become |
| research is that there is no known cause for this | | | | diagnosed with breast tumor, you should NOT blame |
| most common disease, with the exception of the | | | | yourself. |
| BRCA gene, which accounts for a very small | | | | Sure, you could have eaten more healthily and |
| percentage of breast tumor cases. While many risk | | | | exercised more, but there was absolutely nothing |
| factors for breast malignancy have been identified, | | | | you could do to guarantee that breast cancer would |
| risk does not equal cause. In various population | | | | never happen to you. The only risk factor that rises |
| studies, some clinically significant risk factors have | | | | to the level of a causative role is the BRCA gene, |
| been identified, including but not limited to first | | | | and most certainly you could not have picked your |
| degree family history, atypical ductal hyperplasia | | | | own biological parents. |
| (ADH), lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), and radiation | | | | "It's tough making predictions, especially about the |
| exposure. Other population studies have reported | | | | future", a statement attributed to many individuals |
| "soft" risk factors, such as obesity, alcohol | | | | before me. |
| consumption, tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, | | | | |