Actress Olivia Munn shared this week that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. The 43-year-old is encouraging others to ask their doctors about using a breast cancer risk calculator.
“I wouldn't have found my cancer for another year - at my next scheduled mammogram except that my OBGYN, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, decided to calculate my Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score. The fact that she did saved my life,” Ms Munn shared on Instagram.
She revealed that her lifetime risk was at 37%. “Because of that score I was sent to get an MRI, which led to an ultrasound, which then led to a biopsy. The biopsy showed I had Luminal B cancer in both breasts. Luminal B is an aggressive, fast moving cancer,” she explained.
“I'm lucky. We caught it with enough time that I had options. I want the same for any woman who might have to face this one day,” she posted.
What is the breast cancer risk calculator recommended by Olivia Munn?
A breast cancer risk assessment calculator is a tool used by healthcare professionals to estimate a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. It is a questionnaire available on the National Cancer Institute's website.
These calculators typically take into account various factors such as age, age at first menstrual period, family history of breast cancer, personal medical history, reproductive history, age at first childbirth (or whether the woman has given birth), past breast biopsies, biopsy results, race, ethnicity and lifestyle factors like alcohol consumption and physical activity. By putting relevant information into the calculator, healthcare providers can generate an estimated risk score.
Following Olivia Munn's breast cancer diagnosis, there has been a significant surge in visits to this tool, according to an NCI spokesperson.
What do the scores mean?
The scores from the breast cancer risk assessment calculator provide an estimation of a woman's likelihood of developing breast cancer within a specified timeframe. It is advisable to consult your doctor instead of conducting a self-diagnosis.
For instance, a two-year risk score of 5% suggests that a woman has a 5% chance of developing breast cancer over the next two years.
On the other hand, a lifetime risk score of 17% indicates that her estimated risk of developing breast cancer by the age of 90 is 17%.
Dr Arif Kamal, the chief patient officer at the American Cancer Society, stated that mammogram (a type of breast cancer screening tool) guidelines primarily target women at average risk. While guidelines may differ, experts suggest that women have the option to start taking annual mammograms from age 40. “Knowing your risk starts even before the age of 40,” Dr Kamal said.
