Removing barriers to risk-based breast cancer screening leads to the best health outcomes.
Clare Dougherty
CEO, Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer
Each day, scientists are working on incredible developments, but for now, breast cancer cannot be prevented. Yet, the earlier that breast cancer is detected, the better the health outcomes. While 1 in 8 women will get diagnosed with breast cancer, not everyone is at equal risk. Individual risk factors such as family history and breast density can present significantly increased risk.
It is well-documented that early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Over 95% of women who receive an early diagnosis can see high rates of survival with treatment. Due to a range of social, economic, political, and environmental factors, breast cancer mortality doesn’t impact all communities in the same way. Today, Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive forms of breast cancer and are 41% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women, despite a lower rate of breast cancer incidence.
Breast cancer screening isn’t one-size-fits-all
If you are at higher risk, you may need to begin screening at a younger age. Some factors that can determine your risk are a family history of breast cancer or carrying a genetic mutation, such as BRCA-1. If you are part of a high-risk group, such as Black or Ashkenazi Jewish, we recommend getting a breast cancer risk assessment at age 25 to figure out what age you should begin screening and to develop a personalized screening plan.
Breast cancer risk assessments are an effective and important tool to further understand one’s risk for breast cancer. The two primary medical assessments, the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (the Gail model) and the Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Test are used by medical providers to apply a risk-based screening approach and assign patients a lifetime risk percentage for breast cancer. These medical models are best used in collaboration with providers who can use the risk score to develop a personalized screening plan.
Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer developed a patient-facing simple breast cancer risk quiz, CheckMate, that provides participants with a personalized risk list along with conversation starters for an upcoming medical visit (e.g. I have dense breasts, should I get an ultrasound in addition to my mammogram? Or since I have family history of breast cancer, should I explore genetic testing or screen before age 40?).
Barriers to care are driving down mammogram rates
In September, Brem Foundation and No Patient Left Behind released the results of a recent HarrisX survey which revealed that an estimated 28 million women of recommended screening age (40-74) had not had a mammogram in the last year, with cost as a driving factor. This data highlights the need for programs like Brem’s Wheels for Women and B-Fund, which break down barriers to care by providing free transportation and covering the cost of breast exams, ensuring everyone has access to early detection. While such access programs address immediate barriers to care, the issue requires broader public policy action and a systemic solution. Today, more than 20 states and Washington, D.C. have passed legislation to require state insurers to cover often onerous out-of-pocket costs for diagnostic and screening imaging beyond mammography. Importantly, Congress has introduced the bipartisan Find It Early Act, requiring both government and private insurers to fully cover the cost of these essential tests. Measures like this, if passed, would allow thousands of women to maximize their chances of early detection and healthier outcomes. No woman should ever have to choose between her health and her financial security.
