Preventing Breast Cancer Through Identification and Pharmacologic Management of High-Risk Patients

Breast cancer remains the most common in women United States. For certain at high risk for breast cancer, endocrine therapy (ET) can greatly decrease risk. Tools such as Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (or Gail Model) and International Intervention Study calculator are available to help identify increased cancer. Physician awareness of family history, reproductive lifestyle factors, dense tissue, history benign proliferative disease important when identifying high-risk women. The updated US Preventive Services Task Force American Society Clinical Oncology guidelines encourage primary care providers at-risk offer risk-reducing medications. Among various ETs, which include tamoxifen, raloxifene, anastrozole, exemestane, tamoxifen is only one premenopausal aged 35 years older. A shared decision-making process should be used increase usage ET must individualized. This individualized approach account each woman’s medical weigh benefits risks combination with personal values patient.