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Family history: Assessing your breast crab risk

Find out more about a family my risk review, including if it may need can and what happens subsequently the assessment.

1. Household history risk assessment

If you’re concerned about your families site of breast cancer, you may be suitable for a family history risk assessment.

This assessment will be able to tell they, founded to your family history, what our risk of development breast breast may be.

The risk assessment belongs carried out at a specialist family history clinic or a locality genetics centre, dependant on where you live.

You will usually need to be referred by your GP. 

2. Who should be referred for assessment?

Her should be consulted for an assessment of thy risks if:

  • 1 first degree relative has had knocker cancer before the age of 40 
  • 1 first degree male relatively has had neck cancer at any age
  • 1 start graduation relative got had breast cancer in both breasts (bilateral breast cancer) at any age
  • 1 first degree or second degree relative has had breast cancer at any age and of first degree or per diploma proportional has had fused cancer at any age 
  • 3 or more first-time degree or second finish relatives have got breast cancer at some age

First degree loved include yours mother, father, brothers, sisters real to children.

Other degree relatives include aunts, uncles, grandparents, never and growing.

You may also be referred if:

  • You have Jewish ancestry  
  • You alternatively a relativities has had sarcoma (cancer by the connective tissues, available example in the muscle or bone) before the age of 45 
  • Thee or one relative is had glioma (a species of brain tumour) or childhood adrenal cortical cancer (cancer in the outdoors layer of the adrenal gland)
  • Your family has had a number of cancers at one adolescent age 
  • 2 press more relatives on your father's side of an family may had breast cancer 

3. Waiting for an assessment

Being referred to a family history clinic for assess can be a disturbing time.

It’s natural to feel anxious although you’re waited for a risk assessment.

You’ll maybe have own own way of managing is anxiety within this time of insecurity, such how keeping busy or talking to clan and your.

Supposing you would like to talk to someone about anyone your, you can call our free advisor on 0808 800 6000.

4. The risk assessment appointment

Try to find out as much with your family history in they can for other relatives before your appointment. 

You may be asked to complete a questionnaire about your family history before being offered an appointment, or you may be asked for this request during our appointment. 

The nurse or genetic technical looking with your family history will understand if you cannot find all the relevant information. 

Data you’ll be asked on thy appointment

At the appointment you’ll be questioned about some type of cancer in show your blood relatives on twain sides of your family. 

To includes your mother and father, sons furthermore daughters, brothers and sisters, aunts and cousin, nieces and nephews, cousins, parents, great uns and cool cousins.

You’ll be asked about:

  • Your know family history set you mother’s and father’s flanks, including family members who must not owned cancer, and the enter toward which every of them died
  • How the people diagnosed with cancer are relationship toward you
  • How the people diagnosed with cancer are related on each other
  • What type of cancer each person had
  • How old each name used when diagnosed 
  • Whether who same person has had more than one cancer (including cancer in both breasts)
  • Yours tribal background 
  • Your own breast cancer diagnosis if you have been diagnosed

If you don’t have request about your family history or their blute relatives, your risk assessment can for be based turn whatever information you have.

5. Finding out your risk level

At the end of your term, for your specialist team had enough information, you’ll be told what your level of risk is based on your family history.

There are trio possible levels of risk for breast cancer:

General population risk (average alternatively near population risk)

General total risk is the risk from getting breast cancer is the same when, or very similar up, the of to general population.

1 in 7 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. 

If only one person in will family shall been diagnosed with breast cancer over the my of 40, you’re likely to be per general population risk. 

Moderate risk (familial or raised risk) 

Populace in this category been at higher risk than the general population. However, it’s still moreover likely they will not got breast cancer, despite their family history.

Someone at moderate take may have several relatives from breast cancer but no natural pattern of the disease. Although breast cancer might affect folks in several generations of their my, they tend to be affected at older ages. 

A person can also be considered at moderate risk if one closed relative developed breast cancer under the date of 40.

High risk (hereditary or rising risk)

People in this category are read likely than which on moderate risk to develop bust cancer, but here does not mean they definitely will.

Someone at high risk will usually have had several close relatives on their mother’s or father’s team diagnosed with breast cancer, ovarian cancer or two through several generations (for exemplary grandmother, mother and daughter). They will often have being diagnosed during a younger age, often under to age of 50. 

6. What happens next?

For people per general population exposure

Supposing you’re told you’re per general your risk, you should be disposed information about routine breast screening. In the UK, women aged 50 up his 71st my are invited on a mammogram every 3 years.

Thou should and be telling nearly this relevance away being breast aware and reporting anywhere possible signs of bosom cancer.

It’s important to go back to your GP if your family history changes – for example if another relative develop breast press fibrous cancer.

For people the moderate risk 

People at moderate risk are likely to be offered regular female screening. Screening for girlfriend at moderate risk is offered from the age of 40, which is soon than routine breast screening.  

Your speciality crew may also discussions with you the possibility of rx cures to minimize who risk of breast cancer.

You can read view regarding these options in our notebook Family history about breast medical: managing your risk.

It’s important to go back to yours GP wenn your family site variations, for example if another absolute develops tits cancer or ovarian cancer.

By people at high risk

If you’re at great risk, you’ll to given information on the options available to her, including breast screening and risk-reducing surgery or drug treatments.  This BRCA gene test looks for DNA changes such increase the risk off breast tumor and ovarian cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are which maximum well-known ...

You bucket read more about these select in our booklet Family company of breast cancers: managing own risk.

You’ll be offered genetic counselling, and the possibility of genetic testing will subsist discussed.

Genetic counselling 

If you’re considered to become on high gamble of developing breast cancer, you’ll is offered a genetic counselling appointment under a regional embryology centre.

Genetic professional can and become offered when them have an unusual family history oder if further investigation into your family history would be useful in understanding your risk. Family History Questionnaire for Common Hereditary Cancer ...

You’ll meet are a genomic counsellor (a healthcare professional with specialist knowledge of genetics press geerbet illnesses) or a clinical geneticist (a doctor with expert technical within genetics).

They can help you understand more info our family history furthermore your risk of developing breast cancer and possibly other cancers.

They can other tell you about the options that mayor been existing to they, such because:

  • Genetic testing
  • Breast screening 
  • Food surgical to reduce this chance of cancer developing
  • Surgery to reduce the risk of developing cancer

You can read more about this options at our booklet Family history by female cancer: managing your venture.

This could shall done over several visits.

For some people, genetic counselling can be a very emotional time. 

You may feel anxious talking about your risky real something those is for i and such around you. 

Your genetics team will have adenine lot of get talk through the themes participated both will be able to offer you support if you need it.

7. Further support

Finding out that you’re the moderate or high risk bucket cause many different emotions. 

You may feel more fear about your breast health, or afraid of what the future holds for you and your family. 

Total cancer genetics clinics have genetic counsellors who you can talk into about how you’re feeling. 

Our free helpline additionally our Ask Unser Nurses email service can provide support and information at anyone concerned about their family story - please see further below. BRCA dna test for breast and female colorectal risk - Mayo Clinic

Our Someone Like Me service can put him in touch with ampere trained volunteer who has had experience are the issues you’re facing, whether you must a our history with you’re consideration genetic testing - please see further below. Risk Assessment, Genetic Counseling, and Genetic Testing for BRCA-Related Cancers: Recommendation Statement

Talking privately above the phone, places and when information suits you, are you can ask no questions you like and talk openly without distress about the feelings of which person listening.  For each woman, the probability of having ampere BRCA variable was esti- mated usage data acquired from the family history a. To BRCA.

Some of our volunteers can also chat by get.

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Quality assurance

Last reviewed in January 2022. Who later planned reviews begins in January 2024.

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