Discover your risk factors.
Understanding your risk factors can help you know when to take action and advocate for yourself when it comes to your breast health.
Get to know your risk factors:
Sex: Higher if you’re a woman.
Age: The older you get, the more you’re at risk (but incidence in women under 50 is rising).
Genetics: About 5-10% of breast cancers are hereditary.
Family History: If your grandma, mother, sister, or any close male relatives had it, your risk increases.
Personal History: If you've had it before, you're at a higher risk of getting it again.
Breast Density: Very dense breasts come with a 2.4x greater risk than those with low density.
Risk isn’t equal for everyone.
Breast cancer doesn’t pick and choose, but some communities are disproportionately affected.
Black Women
The disparities are alarming. Black women have higher death rates even though diagnosis rates are lower and the cancer shows up earlier and hits harder. The survival gaps are unacceptable and need to be talked about more.
LGBTQIA+
These communities are at a higher risk than their heterosexual counterparts. The research on why is still catching up, but the time for more screening is now.
Young Women
Breast cancer in women under 50 is becoming more common and also more aggressive. Don’t let anyone make you believe you’re too young to think about it.
Men
Yep. Men can get breast cancer too. Even though it's rare—less than 1% are at risk of getting breast cancer*—it's still very real. That's why it's important for men to give themselves chest exams too.
Who should get tested?
If breast cancer runs in your family, or if you’ve already been diagnosed, genetic testing can tell you if you’re carrying certain genetic mutations that increase your risk.
Consider testing if:
Cancer runs in your family (breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate).
You were diagnosed with breast cancer at 65 or younger.
You have triple-negative breast cancer that has fewer treatment options.
You’re a man with a family history of breast cancer.
You’re of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.
Let's do this! Add up your risk factors now.
When it comes to screening for breast cancer, the best time to take action is now.
* According to 2025 estimates of American Cancer Society for men in the US.