Breast Cancer Risk Assessment

Breast Cancer - What is My Risk?

In the United States, about one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. Columbus Regional Health treats patients who are at high risk for breast cancer through our high-risk clinic. It is important to talk to your doctor about your risk, because individual risk factors, such as family history, medical history, and breast density can affect a woman’s personal lifetime risk for developing breast cancer.

One in eight women will develop breast cancer over the course of her lifetime
Every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.
Every 13 minutes one woman will die of breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors

Being a woman
Increasing age
Previous breast biopsies
Obesity
Beginning your period at a younger age
Reaching menopause at an older age
Giving birth to your first child after age 30
Never having been pregnant
Combination post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy
Drinking alcohol
Being a current smoker
Having a first degree relative with breast, pancreatic, ovarian, or prostate cancer
Known pathogenic genetic variant, such as BRCA 1/2

If you have a genetic variant that puts you at a higher risk for breast cancer, you may need additional treatment, including prescription medications, or preventative surgeries to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.

Remember, the best protection is early detection. You should still continue to get yearly screenings as determined by your doctor.

How Do I Find Out My Individual Risk?

Talk to your doctor about your risk for breast cancer. If you are at high risk, you may need additional imaging tests, screenings, and exams, in addition to a yearly screening mammogram.

During your screening mammogram, a preliminary risk calculation will be preformed to determine your personal lifetime risk for breast cancer. You may see this on your mammogram report. Depending on the score, you may be referred to a breast specialist to further evaluate your personal lifetime risk for breast cancer. If you have questions about this score, please contact your ordering provider.