Risk factors for breast cancer

No one knows the exact causes of hereditary breast cancer. Doctors often cannot explain why one woman develops breast cancer and another does not. They do know that bumping, bruising, or touching the breast does not cause cancer. And breast cancer is not contagious. You cannot "catch" it from another person. Research has shown that women with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop breast cancer. A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of developing a disease. Studies have found the following risk factors for breast cancer: * Age: The chance of getting breast cancer goes up as a woman gets older. Most cases of breast cancer occur in women over 60. This disease is not common before menopause. * Personal history of breast cancer: A woman who had breast cancer in one breast has an increased risk of getting cancer in her other breast.