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Established risk factors
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Exposure to ionising radiation
People who have been exposed to high amounts of ionising radiation, such as an atomic bomb explosion or radiation accident, are at increased risk of many types of cancer, including breast cancer.
Although ionising radiation is used for medical X-rays and mammograms, it is at a very low level. The small exposure to ionising radiation is greatly outweighed by the benefits associated with having mammograms or other types of X-rays, such as finding and treating breast cancer early.
Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer for women who have had the most common type of chest radiotherapy for Hodgkin's Lymphoma at early ages is similar to that for women with a strong family history of the disease. The individual risk for any woman will depend on many factors including her age when she was treated, the dose of radiotherapy she received, her current age and the amount of time that has gone by since she had her treatment.
If you have been treated with radiotherapy for Hodgkin's Lymphoma you should be contacted by the lymphoma team or radiotherapy centre that treated you to discuss your breast cancer risk.
If you have not been contacted but think you might be at risk please contact the Lymphoma Association.
More information about Hodgkin's Disease and its connection to breast cancer is available on this website.
Radiotherapy treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Women who received radiotherapy in the chest area for Hodgkin's Lymphoma (also known as Hodgkin's disease) before their early 30s, particularly during their developmental years (usually early to late teens) have an increased risk of developing breast cancer later in life.Experts estimate that the risk of breast cancer for women who have had the most common type of chest radiotherapy for Hodgkin's Lymphoma at early ages is similar to that for women with a strong family history of the disease. The individual risk for any woman will depend on many factors including her age when she was treated, the dose of radiotherapy she received, her current age and the amount of time that has gone by since she had her treatment.
If you have been treated with radiotherapy for Hodgkin's Lymphoma you should be contacted by the lymphoma team or radiotherapy centre that treated you to discuss your breast cancer risk.
If you have not been contacted but think you might be at risk please contact the Lymphoma Association.
More information about Hodgkin's Disease and its connection to breast cancer is available on this website.
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