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Risk reduction, early screening for daughters?

Page last modified on: October 7, 2008
Question from Shelagh: I have had breast cancer and there is history of prostate and breast cancer on my husband's side of the family. As a mother of two adult daughters I have been unable to get any concrete advice on how my girls can reduce their risk of breast cancer other than starting mammograms earlier. What else should they do? Thank you for your response.
Answers —Lynn Hartmann, M.D.: Depending on your age at diagnosis and the ages of your husband's relatives with breast cancer, it might be wise to have a visit with a genetic counselor about the possibility of a hereditary process in your family or in your husband's family and whether or not testing would be beneficial. In general, early mammography would be recommended for your daughters as a starting point.
Beth DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S.: In addition, I think it's very important for young women who are in a high-risk category to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and strength training, for several reasons. One is the benefit of decreased risk from the exercise as well as the overall bone density enhancement with strength training, as most women in high-risk families do not choose to take estrogen replacement after menopause. Therefore starting strength training early can help prevent bone loss.

On Wednesday, February 15, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Risk Reduction. Lynn C. Hartmann, M.D. and moderator Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S. answered your questions about a variety of topics such as screening with mammograms, MRIs, and ultrasounds; breast biopsies; lifestyle changes that make a difference; and making hard decisions about prophylactic surgeries.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Lynn C. Hartmann, M.D.Lynn Hartmann, M.D. is a professor of oncology at the Mayo Clinic and associate director for education of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center.

Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S.Beth Baughman DuPree, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a general surgeon. Her clinical practice is located at Holy Redeemer Hospital and St. Mary Medical Center.

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