Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. One in seven women in the UK will develop it in their lifetime. Breast cancer risk is complex and influenced by a combination of factors, including genetics, lifestyle and environment.
Not all breast cancers are preventable, but breast specialist Zoe Winters, a consultant oncoplastic breast cancer surgeon at London Breast Health and honorary associate professor at University College London, says one of the most important ways a woman can protect herself against the disease is to understand her baseline risk, to attend screenings and be aware of lifestyle factors which can influence risk.
Here, she shares the things she wants every woman to know.
Your risk increases with age
Age is the single biggest independent risk factor for developing breast cancer. “From age 50, breast cancer risks increase exponentially – the majority (about 80 per cent) occur from this age – and that continues on a steep curve until about 65, when it plateaus,” Winters explains. “Though older women are still at the very highest risk.”
