Contact sports and breast cancer

Is there any link between contact sports and breast cancer?

There is no known link between injury or sporting strains and breast cancer or any other type of cancer. But an injury often causes swelling and lumps and this can make a tumour difficult to spot. If you have injured any part of your body and have swelling, go to your GP for a check up.

Cancers start because some of the information that is carried in the cell's DNA has become changed. Breast cancer has a number of known risk factors. Some factors that may possibly increase a woman's risk of breast cancer are also being investigated. There is information about these and possible protective factors relating to breast cancer in our section about breast cancer.

Taking part in sports of any type does not increase a woman's risk of developing cancer. In fact, recent studies have shown that moderate to strenuous physical activity may lower breast cancer risk.

Exercise combined with a balanced diet is the best way of maintaining a healthy body weight. It is important to try to maintain a healthy body weight, as obesity is a known risk factor for a number of cancers, including breast and womb cancer.