October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH 

Do you know your risk for developing breast cancer within the next 10 years and over your life time? There is a test that can determine this and we at Women Wise Holistic Healthcare and Wellness routinely offer this test for women over 35 yrs or if there is a family history of breast or ovarian cancer as a regular part of the extraordinary women’s health care we provide to women as a routine part of women’s wellness. 

The Way Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tests Work:

There are actually a number of different models available, although the two most common are the “Gail” and Tyrer-Cuzick” models. All models take into account accepted breast cancer risk factors which include:

• Age – As with many cancers, risk of breast cancer increases with age
• Family History – Cancer can be hereditary, so a family history of cancer increases risk
• Race/Ethnicity – Ethnic groups can have different cancer risks, and this can play a role in individual risk
• Genetic Mutation – Certain mutations, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene, are known to increase risk of breast cancer
• Breast Density – Dense breast tissue increases risk
• Childbirth History – Women who have not given birth have increased risk of developing breast cancer
• Menstrual History – Starting menstruation at a young age and experiencing menopause late can both increase risk of breast cancer

The “Gail” Model  or the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT),, helps clinicians determine a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer over the next five years and throughout the rest of her life. It takes only 5 minutes to complete the test. According to the National Cancer Institute, the  Gail model may underestimate risk in black women with previous biopsy history and Hispanic women born outside the US.  Furthermore, additional data is needed to assess the model for Alaskan and Native  American Women.

The Tyrer-Cuzick model(known as the IBIS tool), helps determine a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer over the next 10 years and throughout the rest of her life. One notable difference between this model and the Gail Model is that the Tyrer-Cuzick model includes breast density as a factor in the model. Like the Gail, it only takes a few minutes to complete. .

Both models are used to assess patient risk to determine if they qualify for special screenings or specific preventative medication.The average risk of developing breast cancer over a woman’s lifetime is ⅛ or about 13%. If the model finds a risk of 20% or higher, someone is considered at high risk for developing breast cancer over the next 10 years and beyond. While the Gail Model is administered by clinicians only the Tyer-Cudick test can be downloaded and done by patient’s themselves.

We at Women Wise recommend that either of these tests be completed in our office where the attention and explanation of results can be understood and mitigated by education, life -style modifications and medications that can further diminish anxiety and disease risks and help identify those women that might benefit from further genetic testing and closer monitoring. Please call us if you are interested in knowing  your risk for breast cancer and to incorporate interventions that can reduce your risk of developing this disease. You can text us at 610-632-5642 or call directly to the office voicemail at 610-808-6388.