Breast Cancer Checklists

Risk factors

Risk Reduction

Early Detection

• Are you over age 40?
• Have you had radiation to the chest as treatment for another cancer?
• Are you or other family members known to have a gene mutation that carries high breast cancer risk, such as BRCA?
• Has anyone in your family had breast cancer (especially mother, sister, or daughter)?
• Have you had breast cancer?
• Did you have your first child after age 30 (or have no children)?
• Did you begin menstruating before age 12, or go through menopause after age 55?
• Have you been on hormone replacement therapy for more than 2 years?
• Do you drink 2 or more alcoholic drinks per day?
• Are you physically inactive?
• Are you overweight?
• If you are past menopause, have you gained weight, especially around your waist?

• Talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy for your specific situation
• Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 or more days a week.
• Get to and stay at a healthy weight
• Cut back to not more than 1 alcoholic drink per day, if you drink at all

If you think you may be at high risk for breast cancer:

• Talk with your doctor about genetic counseling, ask about taking tamoxifen or raloxifene, or ask about enrolling in a chemoprevention study.

Age 20 – 39:

• Clinical breast exam (CBE) by health care professional every 3 years
• Be aware of what your breasts normally look and feel like, and report any changes or new breast symptoms to a doctor or nurse right away.
• Breast self exam is an option

Age 40 and over:

• Yearly mammogram
• Yearly clinical breast exam (CBE) by a health care professional, near the time of the mammogram
• Report any breast changes, including changes in how the skin looks or feels, to a doctor or nurse right away. Breast self exam is an option

Women at high risk:

• Talk with your doctor about starting mammograms at a younger age, and using breast MRI to screen for breast cancer along with mammograms and CBE