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Chapter 4 Causes of Breast Cancer


• What if it’s cancer? • What caused it? • What should I do now? • How is breast cancer treated? • How long will treatment take? • What will it be like? • Will I be OK? • What about my family?


When a lump or suspicious site in your breast is detected, it raises some serious questions. In this chapter, we are going to do our best to answer them. We will discuss what doctors know and do not know, how to react to your diagnosis, how to understand it, and how to move beyond the shock.


Certain established risk factors are associated with breast cancer: • A family history of breast cancer • Early menstruation (before age 12) • Late menopause (after age 55) • Breast tissue that is more dense with lobular and ductal tissue relative to fatty tissue • Noncancerous cell abnormalities


These factors are genetic, they are not something you can control.


Why? There are some questions that cannot be


answered; even so, they are not unreasonable questions to ask. Most people ask them. Just remember, doctors almost never pin down a single, precise cause for cancer.


It is very important to educate yourself about what’s ahead. By doing this, you will keep loved ones informed and help ease your own concern.


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