What to Do if Your Test Results Are Normal

The following recommendations are based on currently available but admittedly limited information—and common sense:

If your family has a defined breast cancer gene abnormality that you do not share, your risk of breast cancer is equal to that of a woman in the general population: 12% over your lifetime.

Here are some actions you should take:

• Practice regular breast self-examination and get annual or semiannual clinical breast exams (depending on your doctor's recommendation).
• Have screening mammograms following the current guidelines for women of average risk: a baseline mammogram between age 35 and 40, and annual mammograms after age 40.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat a low-fat, well-balanced diet, exercise regularly, keep your weight under control, and have no more than five alcoholic drinks a week. These strategies will improve your sense of well-being and general health, and possibly lower your breast cancer risk.

If your test and your family's test results are normal, but many young women in your family have been affected by breast cancer, affected members may have an inherited genetic abnormality that has not yet been identified. Under these circumstances, you need to do the following:

• Begin annual mammograms at age 25, or 10 years before the earliest age at which a family member was diagnosed—whichever comes first. Digital mammography may provide added benefit. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the breast performed by experienced centers can also be very useful. Consider participating in a clinical trial evaluating newer methods of early detection.
• If you have a family history of ovarian cancer, begin annual screening at age 25, including pelvic exams by a gynecologist, annual pelvic ultrasound with an intravaginal probe, and blood tests for a special protein called CA-125. Consider participating in a clinical trial evaluating newer methods of early detection.
• Have a clinical breast exam every 6 months, and examine your breasts monthly.
• Consider participating in a cancer prevention trial.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow recommended nutrition and exercise guidelines.
• Consider discussing preventive (also called prophylactic) surgery with your healthcare provider.