Breast cancer, like many diseases, is influences by the small choices you make every day. Just as eating fatty foods can increase your chances of having a heart attack, it can also increase your chances of developing breastcancer. In fact:

• 80,000 cases of cancer could be avoided every year thanks to healthier diets and more exercise.
• This includes 42% of breast cancer cases
• Even more people could avoid cancer and increase their chances of survival with additional simple lifestyle changes, such as managing stress effectively
• Alcohol is responsible for about 13,000 cases of cancer every year.

What is cancer?

Cancer describes a group of more than 100 diseases. Each of these diseases is caused by cells growing abnormally. These abnormal cells increase in number and get together to form a tumour. Breast cancer is caused when this happens within the breast tissue. Men and women can both be affected, but breast cancer in men is very rare.

How do I make sure I don’t get it?

While there is nothing you can do to guarantee that you will not develop breast cancer, there are plenty of things you can do to make it less likely. Everyday thoughts, actions and choices make a difference. Even simple changes can help you to be more healthy, and could save your life and family heartache. Regularly checking your breast for changes is also important. This ensures that if you do develop breast cancer it can be treated early, increasing your chances of a complete recovery.

Our advice

We have pulled together research, facts, evidence and even anecdotes to advise you how to prevent breast cancer. We share it all so that you can decide what you want to do. It is important to consider your whole self, as your mental wellbeing and happiness levels can directly affect your physical health.