Empowered with knowledge and awareness, women can make informed decisions about their breast health. That’s the idea behind completing breast cancer risk assessment.
“Breast cancer risk assessment can help guide women and their physicians or providers in determining the most appropriate screening type and schedule,” says Dr. Honnie Bermas, a Breast and Oncology Surgeon. “It can also prompt women to take steps to improve their health so they can reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.”
ThedaCare’s accreditation through the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers requires that all women who complete diagnostic or screening mammography or imaging must also receive a risk assessment.
As we honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re sharing about this important tool available to women.
What is a Risk Assessment?
Breast cancer risk assessment is a tool that predicts the likelihood that someone will develop breast cancer at some point in their life. Overall, the average risk of a woman developing breast cancer in her lifetime is approximately 13%, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Many types of breast cancer risk assessments are available, and questions vary among them. An assessment typically consists of completing a detailed questionnaire. A physician or other provider may gather information and ask questions pertaining to:
- Age
- Race/ethnicity
- Breast density
- Childbirth/breastfeeding history
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Previous breast biopsies
- History of breast cancer
- Family history of breast cancer and other cancer types
- Age when you got your period
- Age when your periods stopped
- History of birth control use
- Use of hormone replacement therapy
Understanding Results
Of course, no assessment can predict with certainty whether a woman will develop breast cancer. Rather, it’s about helping identify risk and taking steps to monitor and reduce it.
“The risk level assigned to a woman can help guide screening recommendations,” Dr. Bermas says. “For example, we may determine that a woman might benefit from other types of screening in addition to a mammogram.”
Mammography recommendations vary by organization, but most agree that women should begin screening mammograms by age 40. Women should talk with their doctor or provider about whether to complete screening mammograms every year or every other year.
If a woman is at higher risk for breast cancer, a doctor may recommend additional screening such as a breast MRI. A breast MRI may find some cancers not visible on a mammogram. However, screening breast MRIs would be used in addition to mammography, not instead of.
“Mammography can miss some cancers that breast MRI would pick up, and vice versa,” Dr. Bermas says. “It also can lead to false positives, which may in turn lead to unnecessary invasive testing and distress for the woman. Your doctor will talk with you about the pros and cons of additional testing.”
If a woman is at especially high risk or has specific circumstances or risk factors, a doctor also may recommend genetic testing and counseling.
Guiding Positive Choices
A breast cancer risk assessment also can prompt helpful discussion around positive lifestyle steps women can take to reduce their risk. Some risk factors, people can change. These are called modifiable. Non-modifiable risk factors, on the other hand, include age, race/ethnicity, breast density, and family and personal breast cancer history.
A doctor or advanced practice provider may discuss:
- Limiting or avoiding alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol ups a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer, and that increases with the amount consumed. The ACS states that it’s best to abstain from alcohol altogether. Women who do drink should have no more than one drink per day.
- Maintaining a healthy weight. Having overweight or obesity after menopause increases risk. Your doctor or provider can discuss strategies to help with weight loss or maintenance. These include eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising.
- Staying activity. The ACS states that physical activity reduces breast cancer risk, especially in post-menopausal women. Many organizations recommend getting 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. Women can start small and work their way up.
Power Through Knowledge
“Taking care of your breast health starts with talking to your primary physician or provider about your individual health factors and completing mammograms on the schedule recommended to you,” Dr. Bermas says. “Through completing breast cancer risk assessments, we’re working toward identifying women at increased risk for breast cancer and recommending appropriate interventions, which will lead to the best outcomes.”
Due for a mammogram?
Use MyThedaCare to schedule today. Simply log in, and then click ‘Schedule an Appointment,’ ‘Screening Mammogram.”
