Benign Breast Disease May Signal Trouble Down the Road

Posted by North Texas Cancer Center at Wise on February 24th, 2016

Women who have been diagnosed with benign breast disease in the past may find themselves at higher risk for developing breast cancer down the road. A new study out of the Division of Cancer Biology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville sheds light on the connection.

Researchers at the center wanted to better understand a potential link. To achieve their goals, they looked at data related to 13,485 women who had undergone breast biopsies between 1967 and 2011. With a median follow-up of 15.8 years, researchers found that 1,273 women in the cohort developed breast cancer. Of those cases, 81% were considered invasive of which 61% were ductal. About two-thirds of the all breast cancer cases in the study were considered intermediate to high grade.

While the study uncovered a potential link between benign breast disease and eventual breast cancer, researchers say the findings point to a possible way to lower the incidence rates. Women who are diagnosed with benign breast disease should be counseled on ways to prevent breast cancer, they urged.

An estimated 246,000 American women are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer each year. About 40,000 American women die from the disease annually. There are many risk factors related to the disease, some of which women have control over. Use of birth control pills, obesity and a lack of physical activity are all controllable risk factors. Smoking and other lifestyle choices may also play a role in the development of the disease.

All women are urged to discuss breast cancer and their personal risks with their healthcare providers. Routine screening typically begins in early adulthood with tests, such as mammograms, added around the age of 40. Women who are unsure of their personal risks for the disease may also want to speak to their healthcare provider for an assessment.

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North Texas Cancer Center at Wise, a division of Choice Cancer Care, is now operating as the Cancer Center at Wise Regional and is one of the most renowned cancer treatment centers in Texas.