Does menstrual period affect risk for breast cancer?

Daniel B. Kopans, M.D., Director, Breast Imaging Center, Massachusetts General Hospital

Question: Does the age that I first got my menstrual period and its pattern affect my risk for breast cancer?

Answer:One of the risk factors for breast cancer is the breast's exposure to your own hormones. That sounds like a tough situation because you can't do much about your own hormones, but in fact we believe that the more menstrual cycles or hormone cycles that the breast is exposed to, the greater the chance of developing a breast cancer.