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Breast cancer - managing family history - Management
What is likely to happen in secondary care?
- A more detailed family history will be taken, with a more accurate assessment of risk.
- All women satisfying referral criteria to secondary care (such as those with a moderate-to-high risk of breast cancer) will be offered mammographic surveillance from 40 years of age.
- From 40–49 years of age this will be annually.
- From 50 years of age this will be every 3 years as part of the NHS Breast Screening Programme.
- Individualized strategies will be developed for women 30–39 years of age and older than 50 years of age who:
- Are from families with BRCA1, BRCA2, or TP53 mutations.
- Have an equivalent high risk of breast cancer.
- Women younger than 30 years of age will not be offered mammographic surveillance.
- When mammography is recommended in women younger than 50 years of age, digital mammography should be used in preference to conventional mammography at centres where this is available to NHS Breast Screening Programme standards.
- Women who are thought to be at high risk (that is, a 10-year risk greater than 8% at 40–49 years of age, or a lifetime risk of 30% or greater, or who have a 20% chance of a faulty BRCA1, BRCA2, or TP53 gene) should be referred to a specialist genetics clinic in tertiary care.
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