Women who are examined at the Breast Care Clinic in Patras often ask us:
- What is the cause of breast cancer?
- What caused this solid lump in my breast?
- What caused this solid lump in my breast?
- Is there a recommended diet for breast cancer?
- What can change a breast tumor from benign to malignant?
Is there a recommended diet for breast cancer?
Answers to these questions do not exist. The scientific community is constantly searching for them. Many factors have been implicated in increasing the likelihood of breast cancer. These act synergistically and we usually cannot isolate any one in particular.
Is breast cancer common and how much is it influenced by risk factors?
It is a very common disease. Unfortunately one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
The strong risk factors, yes. E.g.:
- Heavy family history
- The existence of an inherited gene mutation
- Previous radiotherapy
- Extended hormone intake
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While other factors will have an overall negligible effect. E.g.:
- Obesity
- Smoking
- Alcohol
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Some of these are a given, while others are a matter of lifestyle and you can change them.
Assessing your risk factors is part of your first visit to our clinic.
The breast surgeon will determine whether you have an increased risk of breast malignancy, place you in the most appropriate risk group, and suggest the best prevention program to keep you safe in the long term.
Breast Cancer Risk Groups
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Every woman, depending on her personal and family history, is categorized into the following Risk Groups for breast cancer:
- Low Risk Group: This is where the general population belongs. The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer in women in this category is about 11%, primarily after age 50. See the recommended screening for this category here
- Moderate Risk Group: Women in this category have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of between 17 and 29%. In this group, the risk of cancer at ages 40 to 50 is 3-8%, significantly higher than the low-risk group. This group does not usually undergo special diagnostic tests, just requires starting surveillance at an early age and proper adherence to the screening programme thereafter. Genetic testing is not usually recommended.
- High Risk Group: In this group, women are at greater than 30% risk of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. They are even more likely to develop the disease at a younger age (more than 8% for those between 40 and 50 years of age).Women in this category are subjected to a modified prevention program, depending on the etiology of their high risk. Talk to our Surgical Mastologist about the individualized Prevention Program you should follow.
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Which women are in the High Risk Group for developing breast cancer?
- Genetic mutations in the BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, CHEK2, PALB2 and other genes. The same applies to women with a first-degree relative who is BRCA1 or 2 positive if they themselves have not been tested.
- Heavy family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer in close relatives (especially mother and sister) with premenopausal cancer.
- Personal history of invasive breast cancer or DCIS breast cancer (in situ porcine carcinoma). A lower risk is associated with a previous diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia or LCIS (in situ lobular carcinoma) in the woman.
- Personal history of radiotherapy to the thoracic region, mainly before the age of 30 years
- Women with the rare Li-Fraumeni or Cowden syndromes (TP53 or PTEN gene mutations)
The recommended frequency of clinical examination, digital mammography/tomosynthesis or breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) varies on a case-by-case basis. This will be discussed during the first visit to the Breast Care Clinic of Patras with Breast Surgeon Ioannis Haveles.
Information from the Breast Care Clinic
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For more information watch the interview with the Breast Surgeon Ioannis Haveles
on the Risk Factors for Breast Cancer.