Fitting in the Breast Cancer Community as a ‘Previvor’
Knowledge about breast cancer is only increasing, thanks to dedicated campaigns and tireless advocates. And with advanced technology and genetic counseling, we’re not just catching lumps and dimples earlier, we’re also catching risk earlier.
Many women are now intimately acquainted with their risk profile after getting tested for the BRCA-1 or 2 mutations. Compared to the 12 percent average risk of developing breast cancer in a lifetime, research shows that women with BRCA mutations face as much as an 87 percent higher risk of getting the disease. As a result, some women are choosing preventative mastectomies to dramatically reduce their odds of developing cancer down the road. But where do these women belong in the breast cancer community, filled with survivors?
