31st December 2024

Overview of breast cancer

Female breast cancer is the most common cancer globally. Male breast cancer is a relatively rare entity.

Risk factors include age (rare under age 30), oestrogen exposure (early menarche, late menopause, nulliparity, older maternal age at first pregnancy, not breastfeeding, use of exogenous oestrogens), previous breast disease (malignant or benign), ionising radiation exposure and obesity. There may be a genetic predisposition, more prevalent in male breast cancer (BRCA2, Klinefelter’s).