Fighting Breast Cancer Starts with Knowing Your Risk

Legacy's High Risk and Genetics Clinic is the place to get this done. Referrals are usually based on a patient’s insurance coverage, but many people can also self-refer. Comprised of a team of compassionate and highly trained experts, the clinic is a comforting resource center for people who are dealing with, or needing to find, answers regarding breast cancer.

Amie notes that formal risk assessments provide initial clarity as to a woman’s personal risks based on her unique health and family history. It all starts with a comprehensive intake of information and a conversation.

“When someone is referred to us for a risk assessment, we first go through their personal risk factors for cancers,” she says. “What’s their breast density? Have they ever had a breast biopsy? What's their gynecological history? Have they breastfed? These are all potential risk factors for breast cancer.”

“Then we review family history. Do they have a family history of cancer? What kind of cancer? Who was it? At what age were they diagnosed?”

Amie describes the assessment as a deep dive into the details of a person’s life. Once information is gathered, she uses a handful of validated risk assessment calculators to provide a percentage risk for breast cancer over that person’s lifetime as well as for the next five to ten years.

If a person is found to be at substantial risk for breast cancer, other imaging tools, such as an MRI or a breast ultrasound, could be coupled with the mammogram screening. Still, a genetic test might be the next prudent step if a risk assessment suggests inherited cancer risks.

Amie says genetic testing locates inherited gene mutations that can put people at a higher risk for cancer. These mutations are inherited from a parent and may reside as an unknown presence that eventually contributes to a cancer forming. They can also exist in patients without any family history of cancer. Whatever the case, gene mutations result in more personalized screening regimens for those who have them.

Amie says proactive steps — screenings, risk reduction strategies, risk assessments and genetic testing — can help strengthen the odds of beating a breast cancer diagnosis because they often result in early detection of cancer.

“By far the best outcome is if you catch breast cancer when it is localized or small. The five-year survival rate is 95% or better,” she says. If diagnosed at later stages, survival rates start to decrease, “so it’s imperative to catch a breast cancer as early as possible.”