According to Susan G. Komen society:

‘¢ both females and males are at risk

‘¢ aging

‘¢ having an inherited mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 breast cancer gene

‘¢ a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer

‘¢ a family history of breast, ovarian or prostate cancer

‘¢ having high breast density on a mammogram

‘¢ having a previous biopsy showing atypical hyperplasia, or accumulation of abnormal cells in the breast duct

‘¢ starting menopause after age 55

‘¢ never having children

‘¢ having your first child after age 35

‘¢ radiation exposure, frequent X-rays in youth

‘¢ high bone density

‘¢ weight gain after menopause or as an adult

‘¢ postmenopausal hormone use (current or recent use)

Warning signs for breast cancer:

– dimpling or puckering of the skin on the breast

– change in size or shape of the breast

– swelling, warmth, redness or darkening of the breast

– a lump, hard knot, or thickening of the breast

Who gets breast cancer:

– all women are at risk, old and young

– Ages 30-39: 0.43%

– Ages 40-49: 1.45%

– Ages 50-59: 2.38%

– Ages 60-69: 3.45%

– white women are more likely to get breast cancer than women of any other racial/ ethnic group

– African American women are more likely to die of breast cancer than white women

– men can get breast cancer too–one out of every 100 people diagnosed is male