Do you have Breasts/Ovaries?
Why do you not have breasts and ovaries?
How old are you?
Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have "dense breast tissue" as a result of a mammogram?
Have you ever been diagnosed with either of the following?
How many alcoholic drinks do you consume each day, on average? Don't forget to factor in the weekends!
Have any of your immediate family members (parents, siblings, or children) been diagnosed with any of the following?
Breast cancer diagnosed at age 50 or under
Triple negative (ER-, PR-, HER2-) breast cancer
More than one breast cancer (cancer in both breasts, or two separate breast cancers in one breast)
Male breast cancer
Ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal cancer, or fallopian tube cancer
Two or more close relatives with breast cancer at any age
None of the above
Have you or any of your close relatives (parents, siblings, grandparent, aunts or uncles) had genetic testing for a mutation linked to breast and/or ovarian cancer?
Which gene mutation have you or your relative(s) been diagnosed with?
Lynch Syndrome
Li-Fraumeni Syndrome
Cowden Syndrome
Hereditary Diffuse Gastric and Lobular Breast Cancer Syndrome
I don't know
On average, do you exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times a week?
Within one side of your family (either on your mom's or dad's side), is there a combination of any of these cancers? (select all that apply)
Breast cancer
Colorectal
Endometrial cancer
Kidney/Urinary tract cancer
Liver/Bile duct cancer
Lung cancer
Sebaceous neoplasms
Skin (non-melanoma)
Small intestine cancer
How old were you when you first got your period?
Did you receive radiation to the chest during childhood to treat Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, or another cancer?
Do you have TWO OR MORE close family members (parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt or uncle) that have had breast cancer at age 50 or older?
Are you of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry?
Have you ever had any of the following in your personal health history?
Abnormal breast biopsy result
Endometriosis
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Tubal Ligation
None
Do you smoke?
Have you taken or do you plan to take birth control pills for five or more years - it doesn't have to be consecutive! - during your 20s or 30s?
Have you ever given birth or plan to give birth in the future?
Have you breastfed?
Do you plan to breastfeed in the future?
What is your weight?
Your answer will only be used to calculate your BMI, which can affect your risk.
What is your height?
What is your height & weight?
Day-to-day decisions directly link to your risk of getting cancer. The stakes are high—make sure you’re doing all you can to make the most of it. Now that’s living proactively.
Women who get regular exercise may have a lower risk of breast cancer. Breaking a sweat for 30 minutes on most days can help reduce your risk by as much as 10-20 percent.
Maintain a healthy body weight, as there’s a clear correlation between obesity and breast cancer. Extra fatty tissue produces extra estrogen, which can increase your risk.
There’s a known link between alcohol and breast cancer. Every drink you throw back affects your health. Limit your drinking to no more than one drink per day, and you’ll be doing yourself a favor.
Commit to quit. If you smoke, there are no excuses: there’s a direct through line from tobacco use to many diseases, including breast cancer.
Vitamin D plays a role in regulating breast cell growth. Studies have shown a 2.5x increase in the risk of breast cancer associated with Vitamin D deficiency, and a possible increase in ovarian cancer risk.
What you eat affects your health. Follow a diet that’s low in fat and includes a mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and lean proteins. Research shows a 12% increase in cancer risk for every 50g of red meat consumed each day.
You can join them. By clicking the pledge button below, you’ll make that number go higher.
Every body is different. In order to know what’s up with yours, you have to be self-aware. It’s important to know what’s normal for you — that way, you’re equipped to recognize a change over time.
80% of breast cancers in young women are found by young women themselves. Get to know what your breasts feel like. They cover more real estate than you may realize: breast tissue extends up to the collarbone, around to your armpits, and into your breastbone.
Pay attention to changes in size, shape, contour, and color. If a change persists or worsens for 2-3 weeks, it’s time to see a doctor.
A few examples of abnormal symptoms:
The most common breast cancer symptom is a lump. But some women have naturally lumpy breasts. Soft, mobile lumps that come and go are normal, but a lump that feels like a frozen pea is not. One that gets bigger and doesn’t go away for 2-3 weeks is not. If you find something, don’t panic — 80% of lumps aren’t cancerous — but make sure to go to your doctor.
Because there’s currently no effective test for ovarian cancer, watching for signs and symptoms is important. However, many of these can easily be mistaken for other issues, like PMS.
Signs of ovarian cancer are symptoms like these, when they persist or worsen for 2-3 weeks:
Primary
Secondary
Like breast cancer symptoms, many ovarian cancer symptoms can come and go. But if they persist or worsen for 2-3 weeks, see your doctor and ask — could it be my ovaries?
A key part of living proactively is finding a doctor you trust. He or she should listen to your questions, pay attention to your concerns, and provide clear recommendations. Once you’ve “shopped around” and found one you like, plan on seeing them annually for a well-woman exam.
These annual exams, which are covered in all insurance policies, should include a clinical breast exam that thoroughly covers all breast tissue and typically lasts several minutes.
Your well-woman exam should also include:
Sign up for a monthly Breast Health Reminder™ to be Breast Self Aware — that’s one text a month. Text PINK to 59227.
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You can join them. By clicking the pledge button below, you’ll make that number go higher.
More than anything else, family and health history have a powerful impact on your risk level; understanding the past can help you be proactive about your future.
For a woman with family history or a genetic predisposition, lifetime breast cancer risk can be up to 87%. Lifetime ovarian cancer risk can be as high as 54%. Family history and genetic predisposition aren’t one in the same. For example, if a first-degree relative had breast cancer, your risk is increased even if you don’t have a genetic predisposition.
For example, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among African American women. And 1 in 40 individuals with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry carry a BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 gene mutation, which puts them at higher risk.
Pregnancy transforms and stabilizes the cells that comprise milk-producing glands and ducts, making them less susceptible to abnormal cell growth. The earlier this transformation happens, the lower the risk of breast cancer. Some studies have shown that women with first pregnancies under the age of 30 have a 40-50% lower lifetime risk than women who gave birth later or who are never pregnant.
Breastfeeding for 1-2 years lowers your risk by decreasing the number of periods you’ll get over the course of your life. Even better: the activity can help reduce the breast-fed baby’s own later-life risk. Now that’s win-win.
Taking birth control pills for 5 years — even non-consecutively — in your 20s and 30s can reduce your ovarian cancer risk by nearly half. Oral contraceptives are the single most important lifestyle choice you can make when it comes to the health of your ovaries.
You—and the 52 million other young women in the United States—are at risk simply because you have breasts and/or ovaries.
If you’ve already had a risk-reducing mastectomy (with or without reconstruction), your breast cancer risk will decrease by 90%. But keep in mind, there is still some risk, as it is impossible to remove every single breast cell.
If you’ve had a risk-reducing oophorectomy, then you have 96% decrease in ovarian cancer risk – and a 45-50% decrease in breast cancer risk. As with a prophylactic mastectomy, there is still residual risk for ovarian cancer, as cells may remain.
Certain genetic mutations and family health history factors can lead to an increased risk for both breast and ovarian cancers. However, over 75% of women who develop these cancers have neither a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, nor a genetic predisposition. Remember: Having risk factors doesn’t guarantee a diagnosis. It simply means you may have a greater chance of developing the disease.
Breast and ovarian cancers can run in some families. Sometimes this is because mutated genes have been passed down to you from your mother or father. These genes dramatically increase the risk of developing cancer. Other times, there may be a strong family history, but no known genetic mutation.
10-20% of breast and ovarian cancers are due to inherited genetic mutations.
Pregnancy reduces breast and ovarian cancer risk by stabilizing breast tissue, lowering total lifetime exposure to estrogen, and preventing ovulation. Never giving birth, whether by choice or due to infertility, is associated with an increased risk. If you’re planning to have kids but haven’t yet, be aware that the timing of your first pregnancy can reduce your risk. Studies show giving birth before the age of 30 can reduce your risk of breast cancer by up to 50%.
Breastfeeding for a total of 1-2 years lowers total lifetime exposure to estrogen, reducing a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer. It also reduces the chance of ovulation, and therefore also it decreases the risk of ovarian cancer.
There is a clear link between obesity and breast cancer - extra fatty tissue produces extra estrogen, which in turn increases breast cancer risk. Maintaining a healthy body weight means keeping your BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.
