If you could have a better understanding of your personal risk for breast cancer, would you want to learn more? Stoughton Health’s Breast Cancer Risk Assessment can help you understand your personal breast cancer risk and strategies to reduce your risk. The screening is a free service Stoughton Health offers to help women take charge of their health. The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment is recommended for all women over the age of 25.
Why is a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Important?
“The average risk a woman born in the U.S. has of developing breast cancer in her lifetime is 12.9%, or one in eight women. However, some women can be at a much higher risk,” says Stoughton Health Board Certified General Surgeon Dr. Aaron Schwaab. Knowing your chance for breast cancer can help you make decisions about future screenings, medical/surgical options, genetic testing and lifestyle changes. The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment can assist with the following:
- Assess if you are high-risk, either because of family history, lifestyle, gene mutations or other factors. Screening recommendations for high-risk women are different than for average-risk women.
- Explain screening, and medical and surgical options to high-risk women, which can lower their lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.
- High-risk women may be motivated after this screening to choose lifestyle changes, which can lower risk of breast cancer.
Who is Considered “High Risk”?
Although family history is a factor for breast cancer risk, there are many other factors that women should know about. Dr. Schwaab also lists the following as higher risk factors:
- Women with BRCA or other gene mutations.
- Women who have received chest radiation between the ages of 10 and 30.
- Women with greater than 20% lifetime risk of breast cancer as calculated by risk assessment models.
Stoughton Health Breast Cancer Risk Assessment
When you schedule your free assessment at Stoughton Health, you will meet with our Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Screener in person or on the phone. They will ask you questions about your medical and family history. Our medical screening tool will assess your breast cancer risk and you will receive the results during your assessment.
Stoughton Health High-Risk Counseling
If you are at high risk for breast cancer, you will be scheduled for a follow-up consultation with Dr. Schwaab. He will guide you through your options so you can take charge of your health. The discussion may include information on:
- Annual screening mammograms or breast MRIs
- Breast specialists
- Genetic counseling
- Medical therapy
- Lifestyle changes
Schedule Your Free Breast Cancer Risk Assessment
Please call the Stoughton Health Community Health & Wellness Center at 608-873-2332 to schedule your Breast Cancer Risk Assessment.
