The app calculates an individual patient’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer based on their age, medical history, family history and lifestyle habits. Those with high risk scores might be encouraged to begin screening earlier with mammograms and breast MRIs. Current guidelines, by contrast, recommend women with a typical lifetime risk begin receiving annual mammograms at age 40.
If the app flags a patient as having a high risk for breast cancer, a Lahey Health provider will refer the patient to a breast health specialist to review the case. The specialist might recommend additional MRI screening or refer the patient to a genetic counselor to determine if genetic testing will help to identify cancer-related mutations.
To date, the app-based screening program has accumulated data from 14,000-plus surveys and flagged more than 500 patients for genetic testing.
“The breast cancer screening program is designed to help women make informed decisions about their health and be proactive in their screening choices and risk reduction strategies,” said Rebecca Yang, MD, medical director of the Lahey Comprehensive Breast Health Center. “Identifying risk early allows us to work with women to determine what management or treatment options might work best.”
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