Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women of the developed world and the second cause of death in the female population. In Greece, more than 3,500 women are affected each year and 1,600–1,800 die annually. Early diagnosis is decisive for survival.
Risk factors: sex (200 women to 1 man), age (incidence rises up to menopause) and, especially, family history — a woman whose mother or sister had breast cancer has three times the risk, rising eightfold if the relative's disease was pre-menopausal or bilateral.
Hormonal factors: early menarche (before age 11) and late menopause (after 50) double the risk. A full-term pregnancy before age 20 appears protective, while childlessness or a first child after 35 triple the risk.
Other factors include obesity, dietary factors and alcohol, radiation exposure, and a history of other cancers (ovarian, endometrial, bowel). Regular screening remains the strongest tool for early diagnosis.