Breast Cancer Risk Assessment & Breast Cancer Screening

BREAST CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT & BREAST CANCER SCREENING

Are you at increased risk for breast cancer? Do you know what your risk for breast cancer is?

For most women, breast cancer screening should consist of annual mammograms beginning at age 40. There are special circumstances where a woman’s breast cancer screening regimen should begin at an earlier age or be more frequent than once a year, and some women should have ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in addition to mammography. These special circumstances may be family history (such as breast cancer in other relatives at ages younger than 40, genetic mutations) or personal medical history (such as chest radiation, genetic mutations and breast biopsies showing atypia). A woman’s ethnicity and hormone exposure history also play roles in determining what her breast cancer screening regimen should be. It’s very important that a woman’s breast cancer risk be calculated by her provider so that the correct screening regimen can be selected.

At Delaware Breast Care, every new patient is asked to complete a detailed questionnaire about personal and family histories. Dr. Quarterman uses this information to calculate the breast cancer risk. She then explains the results and makes tailored recommendations for breast cancer screening and risk reduction. 

For her patients at increased risk for breast cancer, Dr. Quarterman follows along with them and monitors their breast health closely.