Overview

Who Is Most at Risk for Breast Cancer

• Women. Your risk of developing breast cancer is 100 times higher (12.5%) if you are female than if you are male. Men can still develop breast cancer (0.06%).
• Older adults. A person who is 70 years old is far more likely to develop breast cancer than a person who is 30 years old.
• People with 1 or more close relatives (mother, sister, daughter, aunt, grandmother or cousin) who have had breast cancer.
• Your risk increases with each additional relative who has a breast cancer history. Genetic influences for breast cancer can be inherited from your mother’s or father’s side.
• Anyone who has a male relative with a history of breast cancer.
• People with genetic mutations. If you’ve inherited a genetic mutation, such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, you have a significantly increased risk of developing breast cancer.
• An inherited genetic mutation may mean that cancer risk starts much earlier in life.
• Some inherited genetic mutations also carry risk of other cancer, such as ovarian or colon cancer.
• Women with dense breast tissue are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
• People who have a personal history of breast cancer.
• Some benign breast conditions also carry an increased risk, such as atypical ductal hyperplasia, or lobular carcinoma “in place” (in situ).
• People who have a history of radiation treatments to the chest between the ages of 10 and 30 (such as for lymphoma treatment).