Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common type of malignant tumor and one of the leading causes of premature death in women. The incidence is rising in most countries and is projected to increase further over the next 20 years, despite ongoing efforts to prevent the disease. Only 5 to 10% of breast cancer cases are caused by genetic disorders, while the remaining cases are related to environmental factors and lifestyle. We know several risk factors that influence the development of breast cancer. We classify them as those that can be controlled, among those that cannot be controlled, and diseases that contribute to the development of breast cancer. Purpose: The purpose of the diploma work is based on a review of the literature, to present preventive measures that can reduce the incidence of breast cancer in women, or to detect it in the early period when treatment is effective. Methods: A descriptive method of work with a review of professional and scientific literature in English and Slovenian was used. The literature search took place in November and December 2020. The literature was searched using the databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Schoolar and DiKul. Results: Reducing risk factors and screening are the main measures to prevent breast cancer. The results show that health education work is needed to educate women about risk factors, including lifestyle, eating habits, smoking, alcohol consumption, and screening options such as self-examination, clinical breast examination, and mammography. Discussion and conclusion: Screening tests and preventive measures have a major role in the field of breast cancer detection. Since breast cancer is the most common type of malignant tumor in women, it is important to take preventive measures to prevent its occurrence, or to detect it with screening tests at an early stage, when treatment is less aggressive.
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