There are several methods available to assess breast cancer risk for women with a family history of breast cancer or other factors that increase their likelihood of developing the disease. Once a woman is identified as high risk, one or more of the following assessments may be made to determine the appropriate personalized plan for breast cancer prevention and monitoring.

GAIL Model
This assessment tool, developed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), enables a health professional to estimate a woman's individual risk for breast cancer over a five-year period and over her lifetime. The calculated score can then be used as a guide for establishing personalized breast cancer prevention and monitoring programs.

CASH Model
This model relies on data from women who had breast cancer and who have first- or second-degree relatives with breast cancer (mother, sister, aunt). Unlike the GAIL model, it incorporates a woman's age at diagnosis and paternal relatives with a history of the disease. The risk for the unaffected relative can then be calculated based on her age.

Genetic Counseling and Testing
Although most breast cancers occur in women who do not have a strong family history of the disease, about 5 to 10 percent have a genetic predisposition for breast cancer. Women with a BRCA (breast cancer) gene mutation have up to an 80 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, and a 15 to 45 percent risk of ovarian cancer.