loading page

Breast Cancer AMA Week: We’re experts with Bright Pink, here to answer your questions about the latest improvements in breast cancer risk assessment, and how young women can become advocates for their own breast health.
  • Breast_Cancer_AMA ,
  • r/Science AMAs
Breast_Cancer_AMA

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

Author Profile
r/Science AMAs
Author Profile

Abstract

Hi Reddit! We’re experts with Bright Pink. Helping young women receive better breast & ovarian healthcare is what we do best. Today we’re here to talk about breast cancer risk assessment. Many people, including some health care providers, believe that young women in their 20s and 30s don’t need to worry about breast and ovarian cancer. But the urgency is real. It’s critical to identify women who are at increased risk— based on genetic history— in time to initiate early screening and risk reduction. Additionally, research has shown that early adulthood is when people establish their lifetime health behaviors, making it a critical time to educate women on healthy lifestyles and the changes can reduce their risk. Cancer prevention starts with appropriately identifying your risk level and working with your healthcare provider on a personal risk management plan. Bright Pink educates both young women and healthcare providers on risk assessment and management through research-based digital tools, in-person workshops and social media. In the last two years alone Bright Pink has helped over 400,000 women assess their risk and trained over 6,000 healthcare providers to give better breast and ovarian healthcare to their patients. Here’s a bit about those of us answering your questions today: Rebecca Bouck: I am Vice President of Programs at Bright Pink. I can discuss how an advocacy group is able to successfully reach and educate over half a million women on their risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Dr. Huma Q. Rana, MD: I am a board certified Internist and Geneticist and the Clinical Director of the Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I am also an Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School and a Medical Lecturer for Bright Pink. I can explain how health providers assess and manage breast cancer risk in their patients, and the role that genetics can play. If you would like to assess your own breast cancer risk, visit Webby Award-winning AssessYourRisk.org. You can also find more information about our work at BrightPink.org and ExploreYourGenetics.org. We’ll be back at 1 pm EST (10 am PST, 6 pm UTC) to answer your questions, ask us anything! Note from mods: if you are interested in issues surrounding men and breast cancer, please check out the AMA we hosted earlier this week with the Male Breast Cancer Coalition! EDIT: We have concluded our AMA and will no longer answer new questions. Thanks to everyone for bringing up such important topics.