Although it has been around for quite a long time, doctors and specialists have not succeeded in discoveries its causes yet. But there have been a lot of studies and statistics and now we know what are the risk factors of getting breast cancer. Some of these risk factors are proven and some are only theoretical, as nobody could prove a connection between them and the triggering of breast cancer.
The first risk factor is being a woman. Breast cancer may also appear in men, though much more rarely, but women are a lot more likely to develop this disease. Then it's the age. Apparently the older you are the higher the risk of getting breast cancer. I am talking about women after menopause,as the connection has something to do with the hormones levels. If you have already had breast cancer, then it's a very high possibility and risk to have it again, in the other breast or even in the same one. Having other family members with the same disease only increases the possibility a lot. I mean if your family has a long history of breast cancer, you should make sure you are tested regularly and be prepared to fight with it.
Some people have genetic tests and this way they can find out if there are any mutations in their genes, because the presence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 are those mutations that represent an increased risk of getting breast cancer or any form of cancer. Another risk factor is the radiation exposure either during a treatment or at your work place. Obesity seems to be another factor and so does drinking alcohol. Another factor that influences the incidence of breast cancer is the age when you first had your period and the one you stopped having one, that is the menopause. Apparently this risk is higher if the duration of your period is longer - and some specialists claim this is related to the quantity of estrogen and testosteron released in the female body during this time . For example during pregnancy you no longer have this problem and also during lactation , which would explain a lower incidence of the disease in the cases of women with many pregnancies or who breast fed their children and a higher one in women taking birth control pills. Having the first born later in life seems to increase the risk also. The hormone therapy after menopause increases the incidence of breast cancer, too.
Like I said before, there are other risk factors that can't be proven yet, but you should avoid them any way if you can: lack of physical activity, high fat diet, antiperspirant, using a bra, induced abortion, breast implant, living in a toxic and polluted environment, smoking and night work.