Ask your family about any history of cancer. Find out if anyone in your family has had cancer, and if so, what types and at what age they were diagnosed. Family history plays a critical role in assessing your own risk.
Establish a good relationship with a gynecologist, family doctor, or internist who is familiar with your body, individual risk factors, and screening recommendations. Open communication is essential for timely and effective care.
Be familiar with how your breasts feel, especially if you are premenopausal, as they may change throughout the month. Report any changes such as new lumps, bumps, nipple discharge, or chest rashes to your healthcare provider.
Menarche (the start of menstruation) before age 12 or menopause after age 55 increases your risk of breast cancer. It’s important to share your reproductive history with your doctor.
For women at average risk of breast cancer, mammograms are recommended every two years between the ages of 40 and 74. If you have dense breasts, a family history of certain cancers, or other risk factors, your doctor may recommend additional screening such as ultrasounds or MRIs.
If anyone in your family has been diagnosed with an inherited gene mutation (e.g., BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2) or with pancreatic, prostate, breast, or ovarian cancer before age 50, or male breast cancer, you may be at increased risk. Discuss genetic testing and more aggressive screening options with your provider.
Several factors increase the risk of breast cancer, including:
- Having children later in life (or not at all)
- Not breastfeeding, or breastfeeding for less than six months
- Smoking
- Dense breast tissue
- Use of hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives for five years or more
- Previous chest radiation
- Breast biopsies
- Being overweight after menopause
- Alcohol consumption
It’s important to be aware of these risks and take steps to reduce them where possible.
Elissa Thorner, MHS is a breast cancer survivor and former co-director of the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Program at Johns Hopkins Medicine, She is a Patient Advocate and Care+Wear Community Member.
