--- title: "Does Mastitis History Increase Breast Cancer Risk? | Sutter Health" description: "Does a history of mastitis increase my risk for breast cancer?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215" --- 1. Home / 2. Does Mastitis History Increase Breast Cancer Risk? # Does Mastitis History Increase Breast Cancer Risk? * * * Medically reviewed by - Michael R. Forrest, M.D. ## Question Does a history of mastitis increase my risk for breast cancer? ## Answer The factors that are known to increase a woman's risk for breast cancer are: Older age, a BRCA genetic mutation, mother or sister with breast cancer, beginning menstrual periods before age 12, periods stopping after age 55, first child born after age 30, use of oral contraceptive pills, use of estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy after menopause, more than one alcoholic drink per day, dense breasts on mammograms, and a history of breast biopsies for benign disease. As you can see, a history of mastitis is not on this list and thus is not a risk factor. ## Explore related topics Breast HealthBreast CancerCancer ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Additional Views During a Mammogram I had breast cancer 10 years ago. I had chemo and radiation. I've had mammograms every year since. What does it mean when additional pictures are needed because of denseness? What is the cause, and what is the chance it's a reoccurrance of cancer? - Health Q&A ### Benign vs. Cancerous Breast Lumps What does a breast cancer lump feel like? I heard the lumps that move when touched aren't as much of a concern. - Health Q&A ### Breast Tenderness Causes Is tenderness in the breast a concern for cancer? I have tenderness in just one fingertip size area to the left of the areola of the right breast. - Health Q&A ### Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations Breast cancer runs in my family (mother). Should I get a mammogram earlier than 40? - Health Q&A ### Breast Implants and Cancer Detection I'm a 40-year-old woman considering modest-sized breast implants. Will they interfere with the ability to detect breast cancer? View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Does Mastitis History Increase Breast Cancer Risk?"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215","name":"Does Mastitis History Increase Breast Cancer Risk?","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215#question","name":"Does Mastitis History Increase Breast Cancer Risk?","text":"Does a history of mastitis increase my risk for breast cancer?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215#answer","text":"The factors that are known to increase a woman's risk for breast cancer are: Older age, a BRCA genetic mutation, mother or sister with breast cancer, beginning menstrual periods before age 12, periods stopping after age 55, first child born after age 30, use of oral contraceptive pills, use of estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy after menopause, more than one alcoholic drink per day, dense breasts on mammograms, and a history of breast biopsies for benign disease. As you can see, a history of mastitis is not on this list and thus is not a risk factor.","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215","author":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215#expert"}}},"publisher":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization"},"reviewedBy":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215#expert"}} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/does-mastitis-history-increase-breast-cancer-risk-1051061215#expert","name":"Michael R. Forrest","honorificSuffix":"M.D."} ```