Breast cancer: Risk factors and prevention strategies

Among the cancer diseases, breast cancer is becoming fast growing leading cause of oncologic mortality among women. It is hoped that, evaluation of different dimensions of breast cancer and its associated factors such as environmental and genetic factors, will increase the efforts of prevention. Current studies suggest that mutations in some genes play an crucial role in susceptibility of breast cancer. Thus, researchers aimed to isolate such breast cancer susceptible genes. Some epidemiologic studied also suggested that, moderate to vigorous exercise for 3-4 hours per week can lower the risk for breast cancer for 30%-40% in women than those of the sedentary women. Obese or overweight women have 50%-250% greater risk for breast cancer after menopause. Alcohol use also increases the risk of both postmenopausal and premenopausal breast cancer. Thus, these trends of sedentary lifestyle, decreasing physical activity and increasing obesity may lead to an increase in the incidence of breast cancer. Thus, adoption of healthy food habits, increasing physical activity and changes in sedentary lifestyle may have a great impact on the prevalence of this disease in future. The treatment strategies for breast cancer are broad-ranging depending on tumor’s biology; stages of the disease; tolerance, and acceptance of the patient. There is various treatment approaches of breast cancer such as radiology, surgery, and systematic therapy (chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and biological therapy) etc. In this article required information about risk factors and current breast cancer prevention strategies are collected through literature review.