Hereditary Breast, Ovarian and Prostate Cancer Risk Calculator

Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (HBOC) is a hereditary cancer syndrome that increases an individual’s risk of developing breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic or skin cancer. HBOC is most commonly caused due to mutations in the BRCA (BReast CAncer) genes.

How does the calculator help me?

A history of cancers in the family is a high risk factor for hereditary cancers. The calculator does an assessment of questions about cancer history in your family and based on your response, gives your HBOC risk analysis. This helps you understand if you are at high risk for any of the HBOC related cancers (breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, melanoma).

The calculator allows you to identify if you are at “high risk” for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome and seek genetic testing and counseling if you choose to do so based on the risk assessment.

What does it mean if I have a high risk of HBOC mutation?

A high risk on the calculator means that you have met the criteria set by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network to be recommended genetic testing and counseling for HBOC. It is important to note that having a HBOC mutation is not a guarantee for developing breast, ovarian, prostate or other related cancers, but it increases the risk.

While the general population risk or baseline risk of developing breast cancer is 12%, someone with HBOC has a 80% risk of developing breast cancer. Similarly, someone affected with HBOC has a 50% lifetime risk of ovarian cancer compared to the general population average baseline risk of ovarian cancer is 1%.

Facts

• Both women and men are affected by breast cancer.
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women; 1 in 8 women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer.
• If you have a mutation leading to HBOC, it means that there is a 50% chance of passing on the mutation to your children.
• Only 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are hereditary, but that still accounts for thousands of women diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
• Genetic testing allows you to identify HBOC early and also take preventive measures.
• 46 to 71 percent of females and 2.8 percent of males with HBOC develop breast cancer.
• Although, only a small amount of men with HBOC develop breast cancer, they can pass on the mutation to their children, thereby increasing their own risk of developing breast cancer.