A PinnacleCare Member's mother had passed away from breast cancer at a young age. With the history of breast cancer in her family, the Member was naturally concerned about her risk of inheriting the disease.

Although the Member knew that she was more at risk because of her mother’s experience, she was not aware of the tests available that can successfully detect breast cancer in women at an early stage. Her PinnacleCare Advocate Team introduced her to the option of genetic testing.

PinnacleCare then connected the Member with a counselor who assessed her family’s medical history and helped walk her through the genetic testing process. Fortunately, her test results were negative.

Guidelines for breast cancer prevention recommend that a woman should begin screening for breast cancer when she turns 40 years old. However, this guideline is not appropriate for a woman with a history of breast cancer in her family. For this Member, PinnacleCare ensures that she is screened for breast cancer annually. These tests have alleviated the Member’s concern of a genetic predisposition to breast cancer.