The average U.S. woman has a 13% lifetime risk of breast cancer and a 1.2% risk of ovarian cancer. These are baseline risks—before considering personal factors like genetics, family history, or breast density.
Tilda helps you understand your personal risk—and what to do about it.
higher BMI moderately increases breast cancer and ovarian cancer risk
drinking and smoking moderately increase your breast cancer risk
Getting your first period before age 12 slightly increases breast and ovarian cancer risk due to longer lifetime estrogen exposure
Taking oral contraceptives slightly lowers ovarian cancer risk and may slightly increase breast cancer risk, especially with long-term use
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) slightly increases breast cancer risk, especially with combined estrogen and progestin
Having your first child after age 30—or not at all—modestly increases breast and ovarian cancer risk.
BI-RADS D (extremely dense) breast tissue significantly increases breast cancer risk—about 4–6× compared to low density. BI-RADS C (heterogeneously dense) increases risk moderately (~1.5–2×). This is partly because dense breasts have more fibroglandular tissue, which may create a more hormone-responsive environment that supports tumor growth. Dense tissue also makes cancers harder to detect on mammograms, which is why additional imaging like ultrasound or MRI is often recommended.
Having a first-degree relative (like a mother or sister) with breast or ovarian cancer can double your risk; two or more affected relatives can raise it 3–4×. If a BRCA mutation is present, breast cancer risk may rise to 40–70%, and ovarian cancer risk up to 44%.