The Importance of Breast Cancer Screenings
- NBC TV host Sara Gore, who has a family history of breast cancer and an elevated risk of the disease, stepped away from work at 49 to undergo treatment and surgery—but he daughter’s recent birthday serves as a powerful reminder that life continues, even in the midst of a cancer journey.
- Gore took to social media this week to share photos of a pink-themed birthday celebrate for her daughter Fiona at home, equipped with homemade ice cream, cake, and balloons.
- Her cancer journey reflects a larger reality for women: breast cancer risk is multifaceted, varies from person to person, and is influenced by more than inherited genes alone.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women with average breast cancer risk begin screening mammograms once every two years at the age of 40.
- It’s important to note that women with the BRCA gene mutation, who have a family history of cancer, or have dense breasts are at higher risk and should talk with their doctor about when to begin screening. It may be younger than 40.
- SurvivorNet experts recommend performing a monthly breast self-exam to look for anything unusual with your breasts because it can help catch breast cancer between regularly scheduled mammograms.
- Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening.
- 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.
Gore—whose breast cancer diagnosis came as somewhat of a surprise, but not entirely as the TV personality was aware that her family history placed her at elevated risk of getting the disease—took to her Instagram story on May 14 to share photos from her daughter’s party.
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Alongside the first letters of her name, written from top to bottom, the words read: “Fierce, Independent, Outgoing, Nurturing, Adventurous.”
“My Fiona,” Gore wrote alongside the photo.
Gore also shared photos of her healthy food, which appeared to be take-out sushi, and also some dessert.
Next to a photo of ice cream and cake, Gore wrote, “And this is me not knowing my limits. Homemade gelato.
“And I’m paying for it today, but she was worth it.”
Seeing Gore commemorate her daughter’s birthday with such happiness is a powerful reminder that life continues, even in the midst of a cancer journey.
Gore’s decision to go public with her diagnosis on April 30, is a story that underscores a broader reality for women everywhere: breast cancer risk is not dimensional, deeply personal, and often influenced by factors beyond genetics alone.
Gore’s mother and sister both fought breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), having close family members with breast cancer increases a woman’s likelihood of developing the disease.
“Having a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter) with breast cancer almost doubles a woman’s risk. Having 2 first-degree relatives increases her risk by about 3-fold,” the ACS explains. “Women with a father or brother who has had breast cancer also have a higher risk of breast cancer.”
Risk factors for breast cancer include being female, increasing age, inherited genetic mutations, a family or personal history of breast cancer, race and ethnicity, having dense breast tissue, and beginning menstruation at an earlier age.
If you’re curious as to whether you’re at a heightened risk of getting diagnosed with breast cancer, make sure to speak with your doctor about screening guidelines. Additionally, the National Cancer Institute’s Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool—also known as the Gail Model—helps clinicians estimate a woman’s five-year risk of developing invasive breast cancer.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), which sets the standard of care in oncology, has also formally incorporated Clairity Breast, an FDA-cleared artificial intelligence program, into its 2026 Breast Cancer Screening and Diagnosis Guidelines. It analyzes subtle patterns in screening mammograms, predicts a woman’s future breast cancer risk, generating a validated five‑year risk score.
As for Gore’s diagnosis, she shared an emotional announcement about it on NBC’s New York Live show, saying, “Today I want to share something a little more personal, which is hard for me because, you know what, this show has never been about me. It is about our guests, it’s about this city that we love. It’s about all of you.
“But after being a part of your day for so long and vice versa, for 16 plus years, for some of you, I can’t believe it’s that long. It just felt right to tell you myself. I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and I’m going to be stepping away for treatment and surgery.”
If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, like Gore, SurvivorNet’s My Health Questions was built to offer on-demand explanations of treatment options, clinical trials, side effects, insurance concerns, and more. Users can ask questions conversationally, either by typing or using their voice, and receive answers tailored to their individual profiles. If patients don’t know where to start, we provide prompt questions to get them started.
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After acknowledging the fear she’s now feeling, she admitted the diagnosis still came as a shock, despite her family history of the disease.
Gore then explained how she was “caught off guard,” adding, “Quite frankly, which makes no sense because I watched my mother and my sister go through this, and I always knew I was high risk, and I always assumed this day would come. But let me tell you, you are never ready.
“You’re just never ready for some reason, even when you catch it early because you’re doing everything right. It is an emotional blow. And I wasn’t ready for that. That actually really surprised me. It really stung. And I know it’s gonna sting for a minute. You know what? It’s stinging right now.”
Understanding Risk Factors For Breast Cancer
It’s also important to note that although we often hear that the lifetime risk for breast cancer in any woman is about one in eight, that statistic doesn’t tell the whole story. The risk varies in every age group and breast cancer becomes increasingly more common as women age. At age 30, for instance, the risk is one in 227, according to the National Cancer Institute. By age 70, the risk is one in 26.
Expert Resources On Breast Cancer Risk
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- Learn Your Risk and Listen to the Guidelines: An Important Message About Breast Cancer Awareness
Although age and family history are the strongest risk indicators, many other factors also play a role. Some are related to lifestyle, such as being overweight or not having children, while others are beyond a person’s control, including inherited genetic traits and race.
While maintaining a smile on her face, Gore also highlighted in her announcement video how she’s now embracing the care and support from her medical team, her workplace, and her family.
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“And as hard as this is, I am choosing to believe, at least for me in this moment in time, that maybe there is a gift in this, even if I don’t fully understand what it is yet,” Gore said.
“I’m working on that part. If anything, it’s already a reminder of how precious life is and how important it is to focus on what really matters.”
Gore concluded by reassuring her viewers of their importance, saying she’ll be taking time off to undergo treatment and recover, promising, “I’m going to come back better than ever. And I’m going to see you on the other side of this.”
In another announcement, shared on Open House TV’s Instagram page, Gore insisted she was going to “kick cancer’s a**” and “come back better than ever.”
WATCH: How One Cancer Survivor and Her Sister Used “My Health Questions” to Navigate Care
Learning More About Breast Risk Assessment & Genetic Testing
The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment is “statistical model that allows healthcare professionals to calculate the probability of a woman developing breast cancer over the course of their lifetime,” Dr. Ruth Oratz, breast medical oncologist, NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center; clinical professor of medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine previously told SurvivorNet.
Genetic testing can help a patient better understand their cancer risk and can be as simple as a simple saliva swab or blood sample. The results help your care team determine if you have a specific mutation that puts you at higher risk for cancer. The results help doctors tailor your treatment and are helpful for breast cancer patients.
BRCA Gene Mutations
The BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are among the most important genes to look for in breast cancer. Together, they are responsible for about half of all hereditary breast cancers. These genes prevent cells from dividing haphazardly and uncontrollably in a person without mutations. Mutations prevent these genes from doing their job and can allow unchecked growth of breast, ovarian, and other tissues.
Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer: What is This Type of Test? And What Do My Results Mean?
Together, they are responsible for about half of all hereditary breast cancers. These genes prevent cells from dividing haphazardly and uncontrollably in a person without mutations. Mutations prevent these genes from doing their job and can allow unchecked growth of breast, ovarian, and other tissues.
Dr. Oratz says if the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment finds that a woman is at higher risk of getting breast cancer, she should expect further testing and screening. However, if a woman is positive for the BRCA gene mutation, a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment “is not really accurate.”
“Having information empowers patients,” Dr. Oratz added. “It is very important for people to be aware of the health risks, their family history, and their own personal medical conditions. All of these things can affect the risk of developing cancer.”
According to the National Cancer Institute, about “13% of women” in the general population will develop breast cancer sometime during their lives. By contrast, 55% to 72% of women who inherit a harmful BRCA1 or BRACA2 variant will develop breast cancer by 70 to 80 years of age.
Between 5% and 10% of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary. And about 10% of patients who undergo genetic testing will test positive for the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, Dr. Julie Rani Nangia, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine, previously told SurvivorNet.
“The genetic BRCA1 and (BRCA)2 mutations, if a woman has one of these mutations … it puts her at basically the highest quantifiable risk for getting breast cancer,” Dr. Elisa Port, a surgical oncologist at Mount Sinai, also told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
“We typically say between the 60 (percent) and 80 percent range. Having a BRCA1 and (BRCA)2 mutation also means that that person is at higher risk of getting breast cancer at an earlier age, and also maybe at risk for other cancers like ovarian cancer, like pancreatic cancer for men, prostate cancer and male breast cancer may be a concern.”
Since the discovery of the BRCA mutations in the 1990s, doctors have gone on to identify many other gene mutations that put people at a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
“There’s actually eight to 10 genes that also can put someone at a higher risk for breast cancer,” Dr. Port says, adding that usually that risk isn’t as high as the BRCA mutations. These additional gene mutations include PALB2, ATM, TP53, CHEK2, PTEN, CDH1 and STK11.
Should I Get Genetic Testing to Assess My Risk for Breast Cancer?
“We call them more moderate penetrance genes and those genes, the risk of breast cancer associated with them can be anywhere from say 20 percent to 50 percent. … so still very high, but lower than the BRCA genes that were the ones we originally described.”
The PALB2 gene is a “moderate penetrance gene, and the risk of getting breast cancer with PALB2 can be a pretty broad range,” Dr. Port says. “And unlike the BRCA genes where we don’t really use the family history of who got breast cancer to affect the risk estimates, with PALB2, you really can dial up risk or dial down risk depending on how many relatives and the age of the relatives in the family got breast cancer.”
Limitations of Genetic Testing
Like anything in life, there are limitations to genetic testing for breast cancer, specifically the commercially available tests women can take. One of the most common types of commercially available tests is from 23andMe, a genomics and biotechnology company, as well as tellmeGen and MyHeritage genetic tests.
“There’s only a cadre of them that are approved and accurate and there can be both false positives and false negatives, so it really depends,” Dr. Port says. “If someone is suspicious of having one of these genes (mutations) and gets tested through one of what we call the direct to consumer type tests, it is important that those testing results may need to be verified before doing something irreversible based on those results.”
In other words, if you take one of these tests without your doctor’s knowledge, and you receive some concerning results, make sure you discuss those results with your doctor before taking your next steps.
The other limitation to genetic testing is genetic counseling. Dr. Port says this is the most critical part of genetic testing. What does genetic counseling mean? Well, if you get a positive result back, how are you going to cope with that news?
“If someone gets a genetic test result back, it’s really important for them to know what is this? (What does this) mean for them? Put it into context.”
“What does it mean for their family members? For their relatives? Genetic counseling to follow up genetic testing is a really, really important part of the whole process and is not always available in the direct to consumer type avenue.”
Based on your personal and family health history, your doctor can refer you for genetic counseling, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
All About Breast Cancer Screenings
The medical community has a consensus that women between 45 and 54 have annual mammograms. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered the age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.
WATCH: Screening for Breast Cancer
For women aged 55 and older, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening. 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.
Larry Norton, Senior Vice President in the Office of the Hospital President at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Founding Scientific Director of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, previously told SurvivorNet, “We do know that breast density, which is not how lumpy a breast field, but they look on a mammogram, is a risk factor for breast cancer.
“And people with breast density should be getting additional screening like sonograms at Memorial Sloan Kettering. We use contrast enhanced mammography. We also use MRI of the breast.”
Although breast cancer can happen to anyone, certain factors can increase a person’s risk of getting the disease. The known risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Older age
- Having a gene mutation such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2
- Added exposure to estrogen
- Having children after the age of 30
- Exposure to radiation early in life
- Family history of the disease
About ten percent of breast cancers are hereditary, says Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.
“We encourage only those who have a family history to really get [genetic testing],” Dr. Ginsburg previously told SurvivorNet.
“I would say that if you have anyone in your family who was diagnosed with a very rare cancer. Or if you have a strong family history of one or two kinds of cancer, particularly breast and ovarian, but also colon, rectal, uterine, and ovarian cancer, that goes together in another cancer syndrome called the Lynch Syndrome,” Dr. Ginsburg adds.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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