How can I reduce my risk of breast cancer?

As things stand at the moment, we don’t know enough about breast cancer to be able to prevent it completely. Many of the established risk factors are beyond our control.

However, there are some things you can do that may reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.

These include limiting how much alcohol you drink, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight.

Being informed about the effects of certain lifestyle choices open to you, such as whether to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or the pill is also important.

HRT, for example is very effective at reducing severe menopausal symptoms, but can increase your risk of having a stroke, developing breast cancer or heart disease.

Deciding whether to make this sort of change is, of course, difficult. The best choice for you depends on your personal situation, which will no doubt change over time.

If you are worried about the risk of breast cancer, have a chat with your doctor. Talk through any lifestyle changes you’re thinking of making and weigh up all the helpful – as well as the not-so-helpful - reasons that matter most to you.

Our Breast Cancer Risk Factors: The Facts (517 kb) booklet, has more information on how you can reduce your risk of breast cancer.

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£3 a month over a year could buy 20 flasks used by our scientists to grow breast cancer cells in the laboratory.

£5 a month buys 100 microscope slides needed to look at cells in great detail under a microscope – enabling scientists to better understand breast cancer and develop new treatments.

£10 a month buys storage containers for blood samples used in the Breakthrough Generations Study. These samples will help scientists discover the causes of breast cancer.