Question: How does breast cancer start in someones body?

Sarah Thomas answered on 25 Mar 2011:

Certain changes in DNA can cause normal breast cells to become cancer. DNA is the chemical in each of our cells that makes up our genes — the instructions for how our cells work. Some inherited DNA changes (mutations) can increase the risk for developing cancer and cause the cancers that run in some families. For instance, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are tumor suppressor genes — they keep cancer tumors from forming. When they are changed (mutated), they no longer cause cells to die at the right time, and cancer is more likely to develop.

This means that breast cancer can happen to anybody, even if they lead perfectly healthy and good lives. There are certain risk factors, things that increase your chance of getting breast cancer and these are age, gender, family history, race (white people are more likely to get breast cancer) and periods (if you started early this can mean you have a slightly higher chance).

Lifestyle choices – there are lifestyle choices you can make to help reduce your risk: these are: not having children late in life, not using birth control pills, not being over weight, exercising regularly, not drinking alcohol.