Not enough....

[Jean]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166269.php#

http://www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool/

While reading this article my reaction was the following:

The Gail Model is not worth basing your life on.
It is a hit and miss at best. While some of the questions on the Gail Model can place a woman in a more favorable position...it does not take into place the real issue of the bio chemical makeup of that woman.
My first question is how many who had their period early in life, had their first child later in life after (30) which is really more norm today than ever before; are in menopause DO NOT GET BREAST CANCER and why?

The Gail model for me was 97.6% of risk....so what did that model really mean? We as women must keep a strong effort to practice breast health care.

Yesterday as I sat in a very busy waiting lobby for my Breast MRI...women were complaining of waiting - complaining about having to even be there. I just sat there and my thoughts were : Stop complaining this is part of our life like having our teeth cleaned.

We need to educate our daughters, daughters in law, niece, cousin, women friends as much as possible. To be diligent with their breast health care. I guess I am tired of dr. using these silly measurements about risk. Most of us on the site know better since we are dealing with the disease. I am concerned about women who really know very little (like me before dx.). We need more updated information to women before they are dx. so they can make the best health decisions.

This disease is a very complex issue and when placing that Gail model up against it....well it just blows me away as it is almost of no real use. Think back when we were new to this disease and did not major in science. Lots to learn and now as I look back - I was a lucky victim of this disease as I had digital mammograms on a regular basis.
But there is a mountain of information that young women must be educated about to enhance their breast health.

Okay my dear friends - I have stepped down off my soap box.
Hugs,
Jean

[Brenda_D]

Well, I did mine as if I'd never had BC.
According to this, I should never had gotten BC, so I have to question the value of the tool.
--------------------------------------------
5 Year Risk

• This woman (age 50) 0.7%
• Average woman (age 50): 1.3%

Explanation

Based on the information provided (see below), the woman's estimated risk for developing invasive breast cancer over the next 5 years is 0.7% compared to a risk of 1.3% for a woman of the same age and race/ethnicity from the general U.S. population. This calculation also means that the woman's risk of NOT getting breast cancer over the next 5 years is 99.3%.
Lifetime Risk

• This woman (to age 90): 6.5%
• Average woman (to age 90): 11.2%

Explanation

Based on the information provided (see below), the woman's estimated risk for developing invasive breast cancer over her lifetime (to age 90) is 6.5% compared to a risk of 11.2% for a woman of the same age and race/ethnicity from the general U.S. population.

[Paris]

I totally agree with you Jean. I just took the test and based my answers on my age just prior to diagnosis and had a five year risk of 1.1% and that was with one family member already having a breast cancer diagnosis. If I had bothered to do that test back then I most likely would have blown off getting a mammogram and clearly the situation would have been much worse.

I do think young people need to be more aware and in fact all pre-menopausal women need to be aware. We just get too busy living our lives to take care of ourselves.