No one should blame themselves. It is many things: genetics, ( including many different genes other than the specific ones for breast cancer) stress, life choices and environmental exposures. What I do know is that my mother's generation, the one before baby boomers drank, smoked, ate whatever they wanted, and did not do a lot of exercise. They died in their 80s and 90s without breast cancer. Now it is on the rise for women under the age of 50. Colon, prostate, testicular, breast, ovarian, and pancreatic are on the rise and in younger people. Women in their 20s undergoing chemotherapy at my breast cancer center. My baby boomer classmates didn't get cancer until their 40s. I believe a lot of this is being caused by environmental exposures. Endocrine disrupting chemicals. PFAS, parabens, plastics, phalates, many pesticides. Unfortunately in 2025, environmental protections are being reduced. And many cancer research projects are not being funded, including breast cancer.