Each risk assessment considers different factors<\/p>\n
Breast cancer risk assessment tools estimate breast cancer risk over time. They are designed to be used by women who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer. There are a variety of breast cancer risk assessments. Each considers different factors. Likewise, the data sources these assessments are modeled on vary.<\/p>\n
There is no single best model; each has its pros and cons. That\u2019s why your health care providers may use a combination of models, depending on the focus of the risk assessment. For example, here at UT MD Anderson, health care providers and genetic counselors use a program that includes several models to give each patient the most comprehensive analysis. This is usually a range, rather than one number.<\/p>\n
A few of the breast cancer risk assessments you might come across include:<\/p>\n
Ahead, we will take a closer look at two of the publicly available risk assessments used by UT MD Anderson providers: the Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator and The Gail Model.<\/p>\n
Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator<\/p>\n
This tool estimates a woman\u2019s age-adjusted lifetime breast cancer risk.<\/p>\n
It uses the IBIS v8 risk assessment model, which is based on data from women in the United Kingdom and Sweden.<\/p>\n
A high risk is considered an age-adjusted lifetime breast cancer risk of 20% or higher.<\/p>\n
Tyrer-Cuzick considers:<\/p>\n
The Gail Model<\/p>\n
This test, also known as the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT), estimates a woman\u2019s risk of developing invasive breast cancer in the next five years and in her lifetime.<\/p>\n
It was developed using data from a study of 280,000 white women ages 35 to 74, along with data from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program.<\/p>\n
A high 5-year breast cancer risk for women ages 35 and older is considered 1.7% or higher.<\/p>\n
The Gail Model considers:<\/p>\n
Pros and cons of risk assessment models
\nPros
\nThey can help you better understand breast cancer risk factors<\/p>\n
While not all risk assessments consider every breast cancer risk factor, these tests consider many of the most important breast cancer risk factors.<\/p>\n
Risk assessment models can help you understand your risk level and make informed decisions together with your care team.<\/p>\n
Factors that can influence your breast cancer risk include:<\/p>\n
Related: How to reduce your breast cancer risk<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n They can help inform screening and treatment decisions<\/p>\n Risk assessments can help you understand your breast cancer risk. This impacts how your care team will screen you for the disease over time.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why UT MD Anderson recommends that women ages 25 to 30 ask their doctors for a breast cancer risk assessment.<\/p>\n Screening recommendations for women at an average risk for breast cancer depend on age.<\/p>\n If you are:<\/p>\n If you are at increased risk for breast cancer, your doctor may recommend you start screenings earlier, get screened more frequently or get additional screenings. Women at a greatly increased risk of breast cancer may also consider risk-reduction strategies, such as preventive therapy, when appropriate.<\/p>\n Cons Risk assessments consider different factors. This means a certain assessment may overestimate or underestimate your risk of breast cancer.<\/p>\n For example, we usually don\u2019t use The Gail Model by itself. It doesn\u2019t consider paternal family history, which means it may underestimate breast cancer risk for a woman with a strong family history of cancer. It also doesn\u2019t consider the age at which a family member was diagnosed with breast cancer, or whether that cancer was in both breasts.<\/p>\n If an assessment underestimates risk, it might give you a false sense of security that allows you to skip your breast cancer screening. But if an assessment overestimates risk, it can cause a lot of anxiety<\/a>. That\u2019s why risk assessments should be performed by an expert who can help you better understand your risk and what it means for you.<\/p>\n Don’t skip screening based on test results<\/p>\n No matter what you score on a breast cancer risk assessment, don\u2019t skip breast cancer screening<\/a>.<\/p>\n Consider a woman who gets tested for BRCA gene mutations and finds out she doesn\u2019t have the mutations. This doesn\u2019t mean she will never develop breast cancer, but rather her breast cancer risk is the same as the rest of the population. It’s still important for her to get breast cancer screenings.<\/p>\n In addition to practicing breast awareness and staying on top of breast cancer screening, focus on healthy habits to reduce your breast cancer risk<\/a>. This means eating a healthy diet<\/a>, getting physical activity<\/a>, avoiding tobacco<\/a>, limiting alcohol intake<\/a> and maintaining a healthy body weight<\/a>.<\/p>\n The bottom line? Risk models are not perfect. Even if you have a low score, there’s a chance the assessment didn\u2019t consider another risk factor you may have. Always work with your doctor to determine your breast cancer risk. And remember, even the lowest screening score doesn\u2019t give you a pass to skip your next screening.<\/p>\n\n
\nThey can overestimate or underestimate risk<\/p>\n