This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Andrea Abbott about breast cancer screening for women at higher risk. Dr. Abbott is Director of the Comprehensive Breast Program at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Women at increased risk of developing breast cancer should begin screening with MRI and mammograms earlier than those at average risk. Doctor Andrea Abbott is here to provide the details. Doctor Abbott is the Director of the Comprehensive Breast Program at MUSC. Doctor Abbott, what is considered increased risk or a higher risk of developing breast cancer?
Dr. Abbott: We define high risk based on two things. One is your personal genetics, and the second is family history. If you have a very strong family history, mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers have breast cancer or ovarian cancer, you could potentially be at greater than 20% risk of developing breast cancer in your lifetime. And that's the cutoff. We use 20%. Now that's based on family history and is different than if you test positive for a genetic mutation. Those are the two categories that we use to define high risk.
Conner: And why is it so important that every woman knows what risk category she falls into?
Dr. Abbott: Our goal is survival and early detection. We know if we detect breast cancer earlier, we can offer minimally invasive surgery and hopefully prevent patients from needing chemotherapy or additional therapies. If you're able to detect that cancer early because you know you're at increased risk, then we can hopefully improve your overall survival.
Conner: How can each woman get a clear assessment of her individual risk of developing breast cancer?
Dr. Abbott: While the internet is a lovely tool, and there are certainly things that you can find on there to get your own assessment of breast cancer risk, there are some caveats. So, I recommend if you have a strong family history or you're not sure if you're at increased risk for breast cancer, meeting with your primary care doctor, your OBGYN, or you can be seen at a high risk assessment clinic. We can go through those questions with you. It'll ask you some personal questions about your exposure. It'll ask you some family history questions. And then we can get a number. So, are you at greater than 20% risk of getting breast cancer in your lifetime?
Conner: And if a woman is at increased risk then what's recommended?
Dr. Abbott: We want to start that screening earlier. Now for some patients that may be starting at 25 years old. For others it may be at 30 years old. But for all patients we want to start by 40 years old. So, understanding your family history. How old were certain people in your family that got cancer? Like at what age did that happen? You really want to know , were people diagnosed at age 35? Age 45? Because that's going to impact when you should start your screening.
Conner: And then what is the screening that would be started for that individual woman at high risk?
Dr. Abbott: We want to be doing the MRI and the mammogram once a year. So, you're coming in every six months and you'll have an image, a clinical breast exam, meet with a provider if you're at our high risk clinic. And go through those results and then set you up for that next six month interval. And, we'll continue to do that for patients until their risk falls below that 20% threshold, which may happen as you get older.
Conner: Doctor Abbott, thanks for this information about breast cancer screening for women at increased risk.
Dr. Abbott: Thank you.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
