If they have a mutated gene it does not mean a woman is certain to develop cancer. Breast cancer may be called hereditary breast cancer when it occurs in women who may have inherited a gene mutation such as BRCA1 or BRCA2. This means that inherited mutations account for less than 400 of the 7,500 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in Australia each year. There are many things, called risk factors, which influence a woman's risk of breast cancer. The most important risk factors for breast cancer are being a woman and getting older.
Women are more likely to develop breast cancer as they get older.
Most breast cancers occur in women over 60 years old. Most women who get breast cancer have no other known risk factors, other than the risk that comes with growing older. Only 1 in 10 cases of breast cancer occur in women under the age of 50. If you have any one of these risk factors it does not mean you are certain to develop breast cancer. It means that your risk is higher than the average Australian woman of your age.