Breast cancer
- You:
- 20%
- Avg:
- 13%
Your relative risk: above average
Your estimated lifetime risk: 20%
You have 10 of the 14 risk markers
Your estimated risk
We took the average risk for women and used your genetic markers to estimate your lifetime risk for breast cancer: 20%, or 200 out of 1,000.
Here's another way to look at your risk. In a sample population:
10% have a higher genetic risk than you
2% have the same genetic risk as you
88% have a lower genetic risk than you
Our sample population comes from the International HapMap Project, the largest publicly available database of human genome variation. It consists of 60 Americans of European ancestry.
Causes: breast cancer
Genes, for most women, contribute only a small part of the picture. Your lifestyle, environment and behavior have a great influence on your risk. Studies of twins show how much of a condition's cause is hereditary and how much is due to other factors.
What's next?
- Get regular breast exams and mammograms.
- Maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet low in animal fat and get regular exercise.
- If you smoke, stop.
What does it mean?
Your risk of breast cancer is greater than most women's. The main things to do: Be sure you're getting regular checkups, keep your weight under control and don't smoke.
Death rates from breast cancer have recently begun dropping in the United States, especially among women under 50. Scientists credit earlier detection through screening, improved treatment and less long-term use of hormones after menopause.
What we found
To calculate your estimated lifetime risk, we looked at seven places in your genome that are associated with breast cancer. At each location, there are two markers, for a total of 14 possible risk markers. The chart below shows your markers for each of the seven places. You have 10 of the 14 risk markers we looked for. Each risk marker increases your odds by a different amount — some a little, some a lot.
The height of the blue bars shows your odds ratio, a measure of the effect of a genetic variant on your odds of developing a condition. The clear bars represent the maximum odds ratio for each location. Roll your mouse over the chart for more information about each location.