Six facts about cancer

Facts about breast cancer

• According to NHS Choices, about one in five women diagnosed with breast cancer will have a significant family history of the disease
• Having close family members - first-degree relatives like a sister, mother, aunt or uncle - with breast cancer raises a woman's own risk of the disease
• Certain genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 are strongly linked with breast cancer and can be detected with genetic tests
• Women carrying the BRCA1 mutation have up to a 65% chance of developing breast cancer by the time they are 70
• Fewer than 1% of women are at high risk of developing breast cancer
• Another 2% of women deemed to be at moderate risk might also benefit from taking preventive breast cancer drugs for five years, say experts

 For more information visit NHS Choices