Breast cancer is a scary disease that runs in families. If your mother, grandmother or sister has battled the illness, chances are you will too.

“One disease that can run in families is breast cancer,” explains UAB surgical oncologist Helen Krontiras, M.D. “Most cases are not inherited. However, having a sister or mother who has had this disease can double a woman’s risk of getting it herself. The risk triples for women with a close relative who was diagnosed before age 50.”

Breast cancer that occurs early in life, before age 50, is usually caused by a change in certain genes that are related to a higher risk in breast cancer. These genes may also increase the risk for ovarian and colorectal cancer, and can increase the likelihood that a close family member will have the disease as well.

If you have a family history of breast cancer, talk to your doctor about your options. While mammograms are recommended for all women beginning at age 40, you may consider starting them at an earlier age. Mammograms are typically recommended 10 years younger than your youngest affected relative, Krontiras says. So if your mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 45, you should begin mammograms at age 35.

Your doctor can also discuss the benefits and risks of taking a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), which can reduce the risk for breast cancer in high-risk women by blocking estrogen before it reaches potential breast cancer cells. Certain hormones can attach to these cells and inhibit their ability to multiply.

“A healthy lifestyle is important too,” Krontiras says. “A recent study found that many women with strong family histories of breast cancer often don’t make lifestyle changes. Risk-reducing strategies may include exercising, not smoking, staying at a healthy weight, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and limiting alcohol.”

For information about the UAB Breast Cancer Prevention Clinic, call 205-996-6000.