Key takeaways:
- Getting screened for breast cancer is a critical step for prevention
- Digital risk assessments can be a valuable first step in understanding your breast cancer risk
- Both the Tyrer-Cuzick and Catch risk assessments provide you with an individualized view of your breast cancer risk
With breast cancer diagnoses on the rise, including among young women, you may be wondering about your risk. Digital assessments can help you understand your chances of developing breast cancer by analyzing your medical history and personal behaviors to better predict your unique risk. There are several assessments available, and it’s important to understand how they operate in order to choose the option that best meets your needs.
A Tyrer-Cuzick score–sometimes referred to as an International Breast Intervention Study (IBIS) score–helps an individual determine both their 10-year risk and lifetime risk for breast cancer. The test takes into account both genetic and modifiable risk factors. It’s considered highly comprehensive, and is one of the most accurate ways for clinicians to determine an individual’s personal risk.
But while Tyrer-Cuzick scores may be broadly accurate, the assessment covers only a handful of the many factors that influence an individual’s cancer risk.
A personalized Catch risk assessment goes further. In addition to measuring your breast cancer risk, the Catch risk assessment estimates your risk for 20 additional cancers that collectively account for 97% of diagnoses. The Catch assessment weighs over 500 risk factors–ranging across family history, genetic predisposition, and lifestyle choices–to create a highly accurate personal risk profile. Only Catch integrates clinically validated best practices with new, cutting edge science and creates a personalized risk profile for you
Here’s how the two tests stack up.
Both Tyrer-Cuzick and Catch take into account:
- Family history / genetic testing: Mutations on the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene are a strong predictor of breast cancer risk, but most individuals have not specifically tested for these mutations. Both the Tyrer-Cuzick assessment and Catch work to pinpoint whether these mutations are in play via direct input (when genetic information is available), and indirect input, i.e., family history of cancers that might indicate the presence of a relevant BRCA gene mutation.
- Breast density: Breast density may predispose an individual to breast cancer, and denser breasts definitively make it harder for standard screening protocols (such as mammography) to catch cancer at an early stage. Both Catch and Tyrer-Cuzick factor this into an individual’s personal risk.
- Timing of first period / menopause: Early onset of menstruation has been convincingly tied to higher breast cancer risk, and menopause marks a major shift in overall risk for most women. These mile markers have been studied robustly enough that it’s possible to increment risk precisely based on their timing, which is why both Tyrer-Cuzick and the Catch Risk Assessment ask about both.
- Age at first live birth / number of live births: Giving birth at any age has been associated with a decrease in breast cancer risk, but a first birth at a young age appears to decrease cancer risk further. Both assessments use this information to tailor an individual’s risk profile.
- Age, height, and weight: As with most cancers, breast cancer risk tends to increase with age, making it highly relevant for determining near-term risk. Multiple studies have found that taller women have an increased risk of breast cancer, likely due at least in part to greater exposure to the hormones that activate growth. Obesity impacts the balance of estrogen in women’s bodies, particularly post-menopause, and can significantly increase breast cancer risk.
- Hormone replacement therapy: Because hormone balances strongly influence individual breast cancer risk, both the Tyrer-Cuzick and Catch ask about current and previous use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Only Catch factors in:
- Alcohol consumption: Decades of studies have found an association between increased alcohol consumption and increased rates of breast cancer (as well as multiple other cancers). This risk appears to be dose dependent, which is why Catch factors specific information about an individual’s alcohol consumption into risk evaluations.
- Smoking habits (and history): Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke strongly impact the risk of many cancers, including breast cancer. The age at which one starts smoking, the amount one smokes, and even secondhand smoke all influence breast cancer risk in specific ways, which is why Catch asks about each of these.
- Blood type: While one’s blood type is not a modifiable risk factor, it does appear to play a role in breast cancer development; studies have found significant differences in cancer incidence across different blood types.
- Duration of breastfeeding: Breastfeeding appears to decrease the risk of developing breast cancer, even in individuals with certain BRCA gene variations. The longer one breastfeeds, the lower their risk, which is why Catch asks for specifics about the practice.
- Diet: Studies have found that certain foods are associated with an increase in breast cancer risk (for example processed meat) while others (like fruits and vegetables) appear to reduce risk. Catch asks about a wide variety of well-studied dietary components to deliver a precise, personalized risk profile for all the most common forms of cancer.
- Activity levels: Exercise has been consistently associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk, and the more you exercise, the lower your risk. Catch asks users about both the frequency and intensity of physical exercise to pinpoint its effects on their personal risk.
- NSAID use: Regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has been associated with risk reduction for multiple cancers, including breast.
- Risky occupations: Certain occupations expose individuals to dangerous chemicals or to significantly higher amounts of ionizing radiation (radiation that is capable of altering DNA). The Catch model asks about various types of exposure that have been associated with increased cancer risk in order to deliver the most accurate results for each individual.
Knowing your risk–and catching cancer early via a proactive testing regimen–can literally mean the difference between life and death. The Tyrer-Cuzick evaluation is a great starting point for determining breast cancer risk, but it doesn’t take into account new and emerging important lifestyle factors.
With Catch, your complete cancer risk profile weighs over 500 risk factors–including family history, lifestyle, and medical history–to determine your unique cancer risk. Additionally, the Catch model integrates the latest in emerging, clinically validated research to continually update your risk profile across the 21 major cancers that account for 97% of cancer incidence in the US. Join Catch to learn your cancer risk and take control of your future.
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