We do not know the specific cause of breast cancer. We do know certain conditions which elevate the risk for the development of breast cancer.

• The major risk for breast cancer is that of being a woman, of increasing age.
  
  
• Certain breast cancers -- the minority of breast cancers -- are present in patients with a genetic or hereditary component. These families have patients with early premenopausal and often bilateral breast cancers in first degree relatives.

Copyright 2000