Cancer is a disease that strikes women and is also the second leading cause of death. According to the American Medical Association and American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common disease for women. Usually breast cancer doesn't affect women until they reach their '20s. Every year millions of women are diagnosed with breast cancer. It is because of the amount and frequency of breast cancer screening, this is the most often sought for office visit among women. As women age, cancer screening visits increase. The biggest procedure women go through when they visit their doctors is a mammogram. A mammogram is used to check the breast to determine if any cancer is present. With all this talk about breast cancer, the number question asked is what breast cancer is. Breast cancer is referred to as abnormal cells that somehow have mutated to the point they are no longer normal. The next question asked is why do women get it? There are many causes of breast cancer. In some women, breast cancer seems to form if their menstrual cycle starts too soon. The average age for a menstrual cycle to start is about age 12. But for those that begin earlier, these are the women who run the risk of getting breast cancer sometime in their lifetime, particularly before they hit 30. Another cause is late menopause. If a woman has menopause after 50, it causes the system to have an adverse reaction. The hormones change too late. Having a diet filled with too much saturated fat can cause breast cancer. A diet that includes monounsaturated fats like canola oil and olive oil does not appear to cause or increase the chance of breast cancer. Many types of breast cancers are inherited. If the family has a history of breast cancer, it is very likely to be passed on to later generations. So if you had a great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, sister, or cousin, who had breast cancer, you may get it to. Women who take estrogen replacement therapy also can cause breast cancer. This is true if the therapy has been extended up to 10 years. It is obvious that breast cancer is a serious illness that can't be taken likely. Women should never forsake getting checkups, especially when they reach their ‘20s.