Materials for Testing AIAN

Form Approved
OMB No. 0920-0800
Exp. Date 10/31/2021

Attachment D3: Materials for
Testing with American
Indian/Alaska Native Women

What Every Young Woman
Needs to Know About Hereditary
Breast & Ovarian Cancer

1 in 8
women

will be diagnosed
with breast cancer
during her life.

11% of
women

diagnosed with
breast cancer in
the US are younger
than 45 years old.

Breast Cancer in Young
Women Can be Hereditary
Hereditary cancers run in your family and are caused by an
inherited change in your genes. Breast cancer is less
common in younger women than in older women, but young
women are more likely to have hereditary breast cancer.

BRCA Gene
BRCA stands for the BReast CAncer gene. You have two BRCA
genes—one from your mother and one from your father—which
help the body prevent breast cancer.

Everyone has BRCA Genes
Some people have mutations—or changes in their BRCA genes—which
increase their risk for breast, ovarian, and other cancers.

1 IN EVERY

500
women in the US has
either a BRCA1 or BRCA2
gene mutation.

If one of your parents has
a BRCA gene mutation,

50
%
CHANCE
you have a

of also having the mutation.

You May Also Have a Higher Risk for a BRCA Mutation if
• You—or any family members—
have had breast cancer before
age 50
• Multiple relatives have had
breast cancer, or a male relative
has had breast cancer

• You are of Ashkenazi Jewish
descent and you or any family
members have had breast or
ovarian cancer
• A family member has a known
BRCA mutation

• You—or any family members—
have had ovarian cancer

Why BRCA Mutations Matter

50
% 30 %
of
of

WOMEN

WOMEN

with a BRCA1 or BRCA2
gene mutation will
develop breast cancer
by the time they turn 70
years old, compared to
7% of women in the
general US population.

with a BRCA1 or BRCA2
gene mutation will
develop ovarian cancer
by the time they turn 70
years old, compared to
less than 1% of women in
the general US
population.

3 Steps Young Women Can Take to
Understand their Hereditary Breast
and Ovarian Cancer Risk

1.

2.

3.

It may indicate you are
at a higher risk.

Your doctor can help
you make a plan for
managing your risk.

Talk to your doctor right
away if you notice
changes in the size or
shape of your breast,
pain, or nipple discharge.

Learn your family
history of breast or
ovarian cancer.

Talk to a doctor to
find out if you are
at a higher risk.

Know how your
breasts normally
look and feel.

Take Action to Lower Your
Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk
Knowing your cancer risk and being proactive about your health may
help you take steps to lower your risk for getting breast or ovarian
cancer, or find it at an early stage.

Learn Your Family History of Cancer
Asking relatives about their cancer histories can be hard. Follow these tips:

2.

1.

3.

Write down who had
cancer, age when
diagnosed, and
type of cancer.

Share that you have
learned that cancers
can run in families.

4.

Encourage family
members to respond
in a way that is most
comfortable to them.

Word your questions
carefully, be a good
listener, and respect
their privacy.

5.

Explain that you are
creating a record of
your family’s history
of cancer.

Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Keep a
healthy weight.

Exercise
regularly.

Get enough
nighttime sleep.

Limit
alcohol intake.

Breastfeed
your babies.

Increase the chance of finding breast cancer
early, when it’s easier to treat.
• Know how your breasts normally look and feel.
• Talk to your doctor right away if you notice changes in your breast.
• Talk to your doctor if you have a higher risk, including a family history
of cancer.

Understand Genetic Counseling and Testing
Genetic counseling and testing are recommended for
women whose family medical history has certain patterns of
cancer.

What is Genetic Counseling?
Genetic counseling can help you understand your risk based on your
personal and family medical history.
You will discuss things like:
• If a genetic test is right for you.
• Specific tests that might be used
and their accuracy.
• Possible genetic test results and
next steps.
• How a test result might not give
you all the information you need.

• The emotional risks and benefits
of genetic testing.
• How genetic test results may
affect other family members.

Did You Know?
Inherited mutations are thought to play a role in 5-10% of breast
and 10-15% of ovarian cancers.

What is Genetic Testing?
Genetic testing helps you learn if your
family history of breast cancer is due
to a specific inherited gene mutation.
It’s done with a blood or saliva sample,
at a doctor’s office, hospital, or clinic.
Understanding the Results
Genetic test results are a factor in
determining overall risk.
Results can help you understand your
risk of getting breast and ovarian
cancers and steps you can take to
reduce your risk.
A positive test result does not mean
you will definitely get breast or
ovarian cancer. If you test negative for
a specific gene mutation, you still may
be at an increased risk for breast or
ovarian cancer.