What causes breast cancer in women? What we know, don’t know and suspect

Although breast cancer is considered a common disease, individuals have varying probabilities of being diagnosed. It is likely a mixture of the effects of a person’s risks combined with an element of bad luck. We are conscious of many aspects about an individual’s lifestyle or genes that increase the chances of getting breast cancer, but we do not always understand how these might cause the disease. This is partly because much of our research is based on “association studies”.  Hormones, diet, lifestyle and genetics all play a role in breast cancer risk. The Conversation 13/11/17