There are many different risk factors for breast cancer. The most significant of these risks factors is gender and age. Most occurrences of breast cancer occur in a certain gender and age group. Even though those outside this gender and age group are still at risk for breast cancer, the risk is not as great.

External and internal environment. External environment is food, water, pollution, sound noise, smoke etc. Internal environment is hereditary genes, hormones, stress. Hereditary risk it has been known that woman whose sister and mother had breast cancer have a more chances to develop the breast cancer when a women inherits a susceptible gene from her parents.

Risk of breast cancer also increases with age. This is also one of the factor which a person can not control. If some gene changes are running in a family that means if the breast cancer is hereditary the chance of getting affected automatically increases without any control on it. If a woman is having cancer in one breast the chance of getting cancer in another breast or in another part of same breast increases. White women are at high risk of breast cancer than Asian women.

A history of breast cancer also leaves women at a greater risk of developing the same cancer. This happens when the cancer cells spread to the lymph glands. There is a great risk that the cancer will develop in the opposite breast. When breast conservation therapy is used as treatment for the cancer, there is a risk of cancer redeveloping in the same breast.

Examine your breast every month beginning at age of 20. Consult your doctor to get instruction for self-breast examination. Check for a new lump is it painful or not? Unusual thickening of tissue, discharge from nipple, and change in the skin of nipple or breast or different breast size or shape than before.

You have a higher risk of suffering breast cancer if you have one or more family members who have developed breast or ovarian cancer themselves. The more members of your immediate family suffering from breast cancer, the greater your risk of developing the disease. If this is the situation, be keen on doing monthly self examination.