Risk reduction strategies

Lowering your risk of breast cancer

Breast cancer risk reduction strategies (sometimes called prevention) involve lowering the risk, or chance, of developing breast cancer. If you have multiple risk factors and are determined by your physician to be at high risk, there may be things you can do to lower your chance for developing breast cancer.

Lifestyle changes. Being overweight and inactive are considered risk factors. You may possibly reduce your risk for developing breast cancer by keeping an ideal weight and doing regular exercise.

Genetic testing. In order to determine if a woman is at extremely high risk for developing breast cancer, genetic testing may be done to look for inherited genetic alterations that increase the risk of breast cancer. Genetic testing may help to determine if the cancer risk in a particular family has been passed down through the genes. The family member with the breast cancer would be the first to undergo genetic testing. Blood is tested for alterations in genes that are known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2. Alterations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are found in about 5% to 10% of breast cancer cases. Women with alterations in these genes have up to an 85% chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the only currently identified gene mutations for breast cancer. Research is constantly being done to identify other possible genetic alterations that may be linked to breast cancer.

Deciding to have genetic testing is a difficult decision. You need to consider what you will do if you are found to be at high risk for developing breast cancer. If you were to test positive for either BRCA1 or BRCA2, you have options. Testing positive for these genes does not mean that you have breast cancer. Nor does it mean that you will definitely get breast cancer.

Knowing you are at risk for developing breast cancer may help you to make lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise, to be more aware of changes in your body, and to be more dedicated to breast cancer screening.

Increased screening. You may choose to be monitored more often for signs of breast cancer by having frequent mammograms and/or other imaging tests, such as MRI or ultrasound, and clinical breast exams.

Double mastectomy. You may choose to have a double mastectomy, which means both breasts are removed. This may not totally eliminate your risk for developing breast cancer, as not all breast tissue can be removed. Some women who have already developed breast cancer in one breast may choose to have a double mastectomy to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back in the other breast.

Hormonal (estrogen-blocking/reducing) treatments. Breast cancer prevention clinical studies look for possible treatments to lower the chance of developing breast cancer. These studies usually involve women who have not had breast cancer but are at high risk of developing the disease. Researchers look for effective treatments to reduce the risk for breast cancer in women of different races and backgrounds. The majority of breast cancer prevention research is based on evidence linking the development of breast cancer to exposure to the hormone estrogen. Ongoing breast cancer prevention studies focus on the effectiveness of hormonal treatments. Read more about this type of treatment in the section called Hormonal treatment.