Patient Education
Breast Cancer Risk Assessment
The Gail Breast Cancer Risk Assessment ToolThis is a risk assessment tool for women who are not suspected to be at risk of having hereditary breast cancer. It is the most widely used tool for estimating a woman’s 5-year and lifetime risk of developing invasive breast cancer.
The Gail Tool might underestimate your risk of breast cancer if you have a personal or family history of one of the following:
- Cancer in multiple generations (e.g., mother and her mother)
- Two or more people in at same generation with cancer (e.g., mother and her sister)
- Earlier than expected age of diagnosis (e.g., breast cancer before age 50)
- Individuals with more than one cancer (e.g., breast cancer and melanoma)
- Cancers that tend to run together (e.g., breast and ovarian)
- Cancers associated with BRCA mutations (e.g., Triple Negative Breast cancers)
- Individuals with cancer in both breasts.
If any of those risks are present in your family, you should use a risk assessment tool for women who are suspected to be at risk of having hereditary breast cancer. See below.
Myriad Risk Table
This is a simple table that is used to estimate the probability of having a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation based on your personal and family history of breast and ovarian cancer. It is a risk assessment tool for women who are at risk of having hereditary breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Basics
Beyond the ShockAn excellent comprehensive video series about breast anatomy, cancer development, diagnosis, types and stages, and treatment
Breast Cancer Treatment Guidelines
Booklet covering all aspects of breast cancer treatment published by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
BreastCancer.org
Breast cancer education site featuring articles, news, newsletter and chat
American Cancer Society
Information on breast cancer, support group information, and Referral to Reach to Recovery Program.
National Cancer Institute
Provides written information on all aspects of breast cancer: 1 800-4-CANCER (1 800-422-6237)
Lymph Node Surgery
Lymphedema and Air TravelRecommendations regarding air travel and lymphedema risk and risk reduction from National Lymphedema Network.
Lymphedema Risk Reduction
Recommendations for reducing risk of lymphedema from National Lymphedema Network.
Lymphedema and exercise
Recommendations regarding exercise and lymphedema risk and risk reduction from National Lymphedema Network.
Nutrition and Breast Cancer
Nutrition information from Breast Cancer.orgNutrition and Breast Cancer Risk
Resource from University California San Francisco by Natalie Ledesma, M.S., R.D.
Alternative Medicine
Complementary MedicineA summary of complementary medicine techniques for breast cancer from breast cancer.org
Exercise and Breast Cancer
Physical Activity and Breast CancerA comprehensive review of the evidence showing the relationship between physical activity and a lower risk of several cancers. From the National Cancer Institute.
Exercises After Breast Cancer Surgery
A guide to exercises that can be performed the week after breast cancer surgery to increase your movement and recovery. From the American Cancer Society.