Rating of Breast Cancer Risk Factors by Cancer Survivors in El Paso

Rating of Breast Cancer Risk Factors from 1 to 10 among a list of 28 risk factors by Cancer Survivors from   the Dialogue Group in El Paso, Texas, on October 9th, 2012:
The following Risk Factors were given a "Nr.1" importance each by one to four participants out of 18 participants in this small pilot survey that will now be conducted on a larger scale with the El Paso population

Were rated as Nr.1 Risk factor for Breast Cancer:
4x Personal History
3x Family History
3x Being a Woman
2x Smoking
2x Being Overweight
1x Age
1x Drinking Alcohol
1x Genetic
1x Race and Ethnicity

The full list of Risk Factors for Breast Cancer can be found on: breastcancer.org.

The following description of Risk Factors for Breast Cancer can be found on cancer.org:

Besides being female, age is the most important risk factor for breast cancer. A woman’s breast cancer risk may be higher or lower depending on her personal risk factors and other factors not yet fully understood.

Currently, a woman living in the US has a 12.15%, or a 1 in 8, life­time risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. In the 1970s, the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer was 1 in 11. This increase in the likelihood of being diagnosed with breast cancer is due to longer life expectancy, as well as increases in breast cancer incidence due in part to changes in reproductive patterns, menopausal hormone use, the rising prevalence of obesity, and increased detection through screening. Lifetime risk reflects an average woman’s risk over an entire lifetime, including the possibility that she may die from another cause before she would have developed breast cancer, and should not be confused with risk over a shorter time period.

Relative Risk Factors (cancer.org)
Relative Risk Factor >4.0 •
Age (65+ vs. <65 years, although risk increases across all ages until age 80)
• Biopsy-confirmed atypical hyperplasia
• Certain inherited genetic mutations for breast cancer (BRCA1 and/or BRCA2)
• Mammographically dense breasts
• Personal history of breast cancer

Relative Risk Factor 2.1-4.0  
• High endogenous estrogen or testosterone levels
• High bone density (postmenopausal)
• High-dose radiation to chest
• Two first-degree relatives with breast cancer

Relative Risk Factor 1.1-2.0 
• Alcohol consumption
• Ashkenazi Jewish heritage
• Early menarche (<12 years)
• Height (tall)
• High socioeconomic status
• Late age at first full-term pregnancy (>30 years)
• Late menopause (>55 years)
• Never breastfed a child
• No full-term pregnancies
• Obesity (postmenopausal)/adult weight gain
• One first-degree relative with breast cancer
• Personal history of endometrium, ovary, or colon cancer
• Recent and long-term use of menopausal hormone therapy containing estrogen and progestin
• Recent oral contraceptive use