Breast cancer and the language of risk, 1750-1950

The language of risk, in relation to disease, is usually viewed as having developed in the post-war era, but in fact it has a much longer history. Focusing on the period from the mid-eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, this article examines evolving beliefs about what makes women vulnerable to breast cancer and traces the history of certain 'risk factors', such as the presence of benign breast disease, the experience of injury to the breast, the influence of unhappy emotions, the onset of menopause, and a family history of cancer. It situates beliefs about breast cancer within their social and cultural contexts, examining ideas concerning the relationship between mind and body, the impact of new medical knowledge, the social meanings of cancer, definitions of femininity and images of the female body, and women's own views on what places them at risk. It concludes that an historical perspective adds an important dimension to our contemporary understanding of the concept of medical risk.