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Understanding Susceptibility to Breast Cancer: From Risk Factors to Prevention Strategies
Natalia García‐Sancha, Roberto Corchado‐Cobos, Jesús Pérez‐Losada. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025-03-25
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women globally, with incidence rates continuing to rise. A comprehensive understanding of its risk factors and the underlying biological mechanisms that drive tumor initiation is essential for developing effective prevention strategies. This review examines key non-modifiable risk factors, such as genetic predisposition, demographic characteristics, family history, mammographic density, and reproductive milestones, as well as modifiable risk factors like exogenous hormone exposure, obesity, diet, and physical inactivity. Importantly, reproductive history plays a dual role, providing long-term protection while temporarily increasing breast cancer risk shortly after pregnancy. Current chemoprevention strategies primarily depend on selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), including tamoxifen and raloxifene, which have demonstrated efficacy in reducing the incidence of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer but remain underutilized due to adverse effects. Emerging approaches such as aromatase inhibitors, RANKL inhibitors, progesterone antagonists, PI3K inhibitors, and immunoprevention strategies show promise for expanding preventive options. Understanding the interactions between risk factors, hormonal influences, and tumorigenesis is critical for optimizing breast cancer prevention and advancing safer, more targeted chemopreventive interventions.
Key findings
- Current chemoprevention strategies primarily depend on selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), including tamoxifen and raloxifene, which have demonstrated efficacy in reducing the incidence of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer but remain underutilized due to adverse effects.
Why it matters
This review is about breast cancer risk factors and prevention strategies, not about Alzheimer's disease. It provides no information relevant to treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Prevention →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International Journal of Molecular Sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences: journal h-index 426 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 41 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 41 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Jesús Pérez‐Losada: h-index 31 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas: institution h-index 1,048 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40243654) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3390/ijms26072993
- PubMed: 40243654
- Original source →
- Free full text: International Journal of Molecular Sciences →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
García‐Sancha, N., Corchado‐Cobos, R., & Pérez‐Losada, J. (2025). Understanding Susceptibility to Breast Cancer: From Risk Factors to Prevention Strategies. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26072993
Vancouver
García‐Sancha N, Corchado‐Cobos R, Pérez‐Losada J. Understanding Susceptibility to Breast Cancer: From Risk Factors to Prevention Strategies. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025. doi:10.3390/ijms26072993. PMID: 40243654.
BibTeX
@article{garciasancha2025-40243654,
author = {García‐Sancha, Natalia and Corchado‐Cobos, Roberto and Pérez‐Losada, Jesús},
title = {{Understanding Susceptibility to Breast Cancer: From Risk Factors to Prevention Strategies}},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/ijms26072993},
pmid = {40243654},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26072993}
}
Later studies that cite this one
1 study in the alzhub library lists this one in its references.