We have created real life examples of men and women to help you understand potential risk factors for breast cancer.
Example Cases.
Select the images below to see each person's risk.
Elaine
Although Elaine is young, her family history of breast cancer and lack of children increase her risk of developing breast cancer and she may be at higher-than-average risk. It is recommended that Elaine speak with her physician about her personalized screening recommendations.
Additionally, aggregation of data has masked significant disparity in health outcomes for Pacific Islanders. Despite studies of breast cancer outcomes that frequently conclude that Asian Americans and Pacific Islands fare better than other groups, this is a broad term that encompasses people with a variety of backgrounds. Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islands (NHPI) women have the worst OS compared with all Asian American subpopulations [1].
Denise
She is at average risk for developing cancer, but due to her age it is recommended she start imaging her breasts using screening mammography to detect breast cancer.
Shea
For Shea, her risk of breast cancer is low because she is so young, but not zero. For any new breast lump, it is recommended that she seeks evaluation by her physician which may result in imaging or even a biopsy of the breast lump.
Jordan
Although Jordan had a mastectomy, he should undergo routine physical examination of his chest wall and speak with his physician about annual imaging of his chest wall as he is at higher risk given his race and family history of breast cancer.
Leia
For Leia there are a few important points to think about. Although she is young, she is at a higher risk than the average woman for developing breast cancer because of her family history of cancer. If either her mom or sister had certain genetic mutations that caused their breast cancers, this may make Leia’s risk of having that mutation and developing breast cancer even higher. More information is needed to determine her absolute risk, but in this scenario, it would be recommended that Leia talk with her physician about her risk for developing breast cancer.
Linda
Radiation therapy that is delivered in childhood can increase your risk of developing cancers such as breast cancer. Linda is also near the recommended age to start annual screening for breast cancer. It is recommended that Linda discusses her screening recommendations with her physician because she has an indication to start early.
Alex
Although Alex is a cisgender male, he has a strong family history of breast cancer. He should consider speaking with his physician about genetic testing for mutations that may put him at higher risk of developing breast cancer such as BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, and PALB2. If the results of his genetic testing reveal a high risk mutation, he should undergo annual breast cancer screening. If his testing is negative, he does not require annual screening.
Jeffrey
Although Jeffrey now has smaller breast tissue, he did not have complete removal of the breast (complete mastectomy) and therefore he is still at risk of developing breast cancer. It is recommended that Jeffrey starts annual screening mammography starting at age 50, or due now if he has not started screening yet.
Margaret
It is recommended that Margaret continues to get annual mammograms because she had a history of breast cancer. Other surveillance imaging is sometimes indicated for surveillance after a previous breast cancer diagnosis and consultation with her oncology physician is recommended.
Naomi
For Naomi, her risk of breast cancer is lower than a woman who was assigned female at birth, but due to her use of estrogen hormone therapy for over 5 years, her risk is higher than a cisgender male. It is recommended that she undergo an annual screening mammogram starting at the age of 50 years old.
Resources.
These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only.
Florida Breast Cancer Foundation.
The Florida Breast Cancer Foundation provides a comprehensive list of county specific resources for women in Florida. Background Information The Florida Breast […]
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Detection Program (NBCCDP).
The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program provides breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services to women who have […]