Am I at risk of developing breast cancer?

Question

I'm 20 years old and have been thinking about going to get my first mammogram soon, but I'd like to find out if that is really necessary.

I am afraid that I might have an elevated risk of developing breast cancer for several reasons:

1. I have been told that this isn't true, but I've also heard elsewhere that birth control pills add to the risk because of the hormones they contain, and I've been using birth control for a year now.

2. I entered puberty (started developing secondary sexual characteristics and got my period) before I turned 11

3. Most importantly, my family has a history of breast cancer. My mother was successfully treated for it with surgery and chemo, her mother also survived it, but had to have a mastectomy, and I suspect her mother, my great grandmother, died of it in her 40s.

All of them had breast cancer in their 40s. Is it too early for me to start having checkups, or am I right to consider myself a high risk "patient", since the susceptibility to it appears to be congenital?

Maybe it's a bit paranoid, but I watched my mother go through chemo. I want to do whatever I can to make sure I catch it early (if it ever happens) and minimize the damage.

Thank you!!!

P.S. My body weight is normal (BMI = 20), I don't smoke and I don't drink excessively. I don't do much excercise, but I also don't drive - I walk or cycle almost everywhere.

Answer 1

In answer to your questions:

1. Taking the contraceptive pill  causes a small increase in risk. However, the risk gradually returns to normal after you stop taking them (information from Breast Cancer Care)

2. Starting your periods younger than the average age, 12, is a recognised risk factor, but it's only a risk factor, not a cause. Most women who start their periods young don't get breast cancer. Two of my three sisters started their periods aged 10. The third started a few months after her 11th birthday, and I started latest at almost 12. Of the 4 sisters, I am the only one who developed breast cancer.

3. Only 5-10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary. However with your mother and her mother having had it, it may be that one of the faulty genes runs in your family, especially if they were under 50  when diagnosed.

If your mother does carry one of the faulty genes known to be responsible for hereditary breast cancer, BRCA1 or BRCA2, then there is a 50% chance that you have inherited it, although inheriting it would not mean you would definitely get cancer.

It's unlikely that a doctor would order a mammogram on someone as young as you  - young women's breast tissue is too dense for mammograms to be an effective diagnostic tool.

What you should do is find out whether the breast cancer in your family is hereditary; it may be that your mother and grandmother know the answer to this. After I was diagnosed, my oncologist was able to assure me that my breast cancer was not hereditary.

You should talk to your mother about this, and talk to your doctor about the possibility of being tested for thr BRAC genes in the future

Answer 2

With the family history you do need to be proactive.  

A mammogram isn't going to be very effective though - young women have breast tissue that is very dense and a mammogram cannot pick up on any tumors.  A mammogram is GREAT for older women but a sonogram is recommended for younger.

You  need to go talk to your OBGYN about a proactive plan to protect yourself- a combination of more frequent breast exams by the doctor, monthly self breast exams and sonograms.  

Good luck

Answer 3

My very educated and up to date OBGYN told me point blank that hormones in the pills I was taking caused my breast cancer.

Ditch the pills, and live longer.  Get a very good proactive health OBGYN and stick withe the checkups.