Family history – some statistics

Of all women who develop breast cancer, about 1 in 5 have a significant family history of the disease.

Of these, around a quarter - or 2,300 patients each year - may have inherited faults in known breast cancer genes, e.g. BRCA1 and BRCA2.

A further 4,500 – 7,000 people each year are believed to be affected by other genetic factors linked to breast cancer, however, the specific genes involved are not yet known.

If there is a history of breast, or some other, cancers in your family, this may increase your risk of developing the disease, possibly at a younger age than is usually expected. It doesn’t, however, mean that you’ll definitely get breast cancer as other factors, such as your lifestyle and the environment you live in also play a part in its cause.