Options for Women at Higher Risk
Some risk factors put women at a high risk of breast cancer.
Women at higher risk of breast cancer
Factors that greatly increase the risk of breast cancer include [157]:
- A BRCA1 or BRCA2 inherited gene mutation (and first-degree relatives of people with BRCA1/2 mutations who have not been tested for BRCA1/2 mutations themselves)
- A personal history of invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
- A personal history of lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) or atypical hyperplasia
- Radiation treatment to the chest area between ages 10-30
- Li-Fraumeni, Cowden/PTEN or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (and first-degree relatives)
- An ATM, BARD1, BRIP1, CDH1, CHEK2, NBN, NF1, PALB2, PTEN, RAD51C, RAD51D, STK11 or TP53 inherited gene mutation
- A greater than 20 percent lifetime risk of invasive breast cancer based mainly on family history (Estimate your lifetime risk or learn more about risk.)
Some factors increase breast cancer risk a modest amount (such as usual hyperplasia). Having more than one of these factors may also put a woman at high risk.
Talk with your health care provider about your risk of breast cancer.
Learn more about estimating breast cancer risk.
Breast cancer screening
There are special screening guidelines for some women at higher than average risk of breast cancer [155,157].
If you’re at higher risk of breast cancer, talk with your health care provider about the screening plan that’s best for you. You may need to be screened earlier and more often than other women.
Learn more about breast cancer screening for women at higher risk.
Risk-lowering options
If you have a high risk of breast cancer, options to lower your risk may include:
Talk with your health care provider about the pros and cons of these options.
Take the time to make decisions that are right for you. Don’t feel you need to rush.
SUSAN G. KOMEN® SUPPORT RESOURCES |
|
Updated 03/02/21
