Hello, and thank you for posting.

When cancer is in the family, people often assume that this greatly increases their risk of developing it, but this isn't necessarily so. Although the genes we inherit may influence our risk, other things do as well. No one is risk-free, and the risk of breast cancer increases for all women as we get older. 

Breast cancer risks and causes are explained on our website, You will see that a family history can increase the risk of breast cancer, but not always by very much. This can depend on how close the affected relatives were and how young they were when they developed the cancer. Breast cancer is common anyway; 1 in 8 women develops breast cancer over their lifetime, but mostly at an older age (above 50). 

So, we all carry some degree of ‘population' risk. In the UK, routine breast screening starts from 50 for most of us, although there is a study asking some women from the age of 47. Some women whose risk is above average can start screening sooner, but only a very few women are offered it in their thirties. 

The first step is to find out if your breast cancer risk is above average enough to justify screening. Your GP can help you to do this. You need to find out if anyone else on either side of your family has a history of breast or other cancers, and if so, how old they were when they developed it. Depending on the family history, your GP can refer you to a breast clinic for a risk assessment or tell you that your risk is much the same as average. 

It is worth reading the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance for women with breast cancer in the family.

If you still feel that you need to be assessed but your GP is unable to help, we have information on private healthcare, but we are unable to make any recommendations.

Please do get back to us if you have any more questions or give us a call us on 0808 800 4040. We are here from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Sarah.