Breast Cancer Facts

• Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Canadian women, accounting for an estimated 30% of all cancer cases.
• Breast cancer deaths comprise the second highest cancer death rate, after lung cancer, among Canadian women.
• Over 99% of breast cancer is found in women.
• One in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer at some point during her lifetime.
• Breast cancer occurs in both women and men.
• Breast cancer is more common in women over the age of 50 although it certainly does occur in younger women as well.
• Breast self-examination (BSE) is the best tool we have.

Risk Factors

We do not know the cause of breast cancer. The two most common factors are being a woman and aging.

Other potential risk factors:

• More than one first-degree relative: mother, sister
• Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes
• Past history of breast cancer or previous breast biopsy
• Early menstruation (before age 12)
• Women who have had no children or their first child after age 30
• Alcohol consumption
• While the impact of diet and weight is still being investigated, evidence suggests a high intake of dietary fat may be related to an increased incidence of breast cancer.