Check your family history risk
You have a higher risk of getting breast cancer if family members, related by blood, have had certain types of cancer. This is called a family history of cancer.
Most women who get breast cancer don’t have a family history of it. If you have just one female relative who has had breast cancer over the age of 40, you’re probably not at higher risk than the average woman.
Normally, you’re at higher risk when a number of blood relatives have had breast cancer or related cancers (such as ovarian cancer), the family members are closely related and / or they were diagnosed at a young age.
What to do if you’re at higher risk
If you think you’re at higher risk, you should make an appointment with your GP.
If they think you’re at higher risk, they’ll refer you to the breast care nurse specialist. They’ll review your family history and may ask you to fill out a family history questionnaire.
They may tell you your risk is the same as the average woman. If your risk is found to be higher, you may be sent an appointment with the breast care nurse specialist or a clinical geneticist.
Screening and treatment
Following your appointment, if you’re found to be at higher risk, we may:
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make a follow-up plan with you
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suggest other tests
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offer you breast screening at an earlier age than the normal start screening age (which is 50)
Breast screening in Jersey
All women in Jersey are routinely offered screening every two years between the ages of 50 to 69 as part of the Jersey Breast Screening Programme.
How breast screening works
gov.je