What to Know About Olivia Munn's Life-Saving Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score

Olivia Munn has revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year in a recent Instagram announcement. After her diagnosis, she underwent four surgeries, including a double mastectomy, all within the following 10 months.

In her Instagram caption, Munn, 43 years old, expressed her hope that sharing her experience may be a source of comfort, motivation and support for others experiencing the same journey.

In her social media post, Munn explained how her path to diagnosis started with a genetic test she took in February 2023 to proactively monitor her health. Despite testing negative for cancer predisposing genetic mutations such as those related to BRCA1 and BRCA2 and having a 'normal mammogram' that winter, her journey didn't end there.

Munn's ob-gyn decided it was best to analyze her Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score, an action Munn thanks for saving her life.

Munn explained how her doctor took into consideration factors such as her age, family history of breast cancer, and the fact that she had her first child after she was 30 years old. By doing so, she discovered that Munn had a 37% lifetime risk of breast cancer. These results led Munn to have an MRI, ultrasound, and eventually a biopsy.

The biopsy revealed that Munn had Luminal B breast cancer, which is a thin subset of breast cancer that is less common than Luminal A but tends to be more aggressive and have a worse prognosis. Munn described this subtype as a 'fast-moving, aggressive cancer' in her post.

Munn, who underwent a double mastectomy 30 days after her biopsy, expressed gratitude that the cancer had been detected early enough for her to still have options.

Munn also appealed to women and individuals with breasts to implore their doctors to determine their Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score, indicating that if the number exceeds 20%, they should get annual mammograms and breast MRIs starting from the age of 30.

Below, experts speculate on the ins and outs of having your personal Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score evaluated, and provide guidance on how to understand and react to the results.

A Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score is typically discerned using a Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (BCRAT). There are two versions of this tool: The Gail Model and the Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator. These instruments assist healthcare professionals in estimating a woman's chance of developing breast cancer over five or 10-year periods, as well as her lifetime risk.

Certain variances and discrepancies can occur between the different tools when estimating potential risk, but each model provides an estimate of your breast cancer risk based on a mix of answers regarding your medical history, reproductive history, and family history.

Jaspn Mouabbi, MD, a Department of Breast Medical Oncology oncologist at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, mentioned that while the Gail model tends to overestimate risk, Tyrer-Cuzik model often overestimates it. As such, some doctors might calculate your risk using both tools for a more thorough sense of your risk.

The tools assess your current age, racial and ethnic background, the age you began menstruating, whether you've ever given birth (and if so, when), if there's any record of breast or ovarian cancer in your family line, whether you've before had a breast biopsies, and whether you carry any known genetic mutations.

You can take both tests online and complete them in as little as five minutes. While the Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator is intended for non-medical use and aims only to inform you of your cancer risk, it's crucial to discuss any findings with your healthcare provider. Although the Gail Model is available online via the National Cancer Institute and is designed to be completed by a healthcare provider, experts recommend that there's no harm in undertaking it oneself.

According to Richard Reitherman, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Breast Imaging at MemorialCare Breast Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in California, 'Anyone can calculate their risk,' stating that many easy-to-use tools are available online.

That being said, the tool may not be able to accurately assess a woman's breast cancer risk if she carries the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, if she's had invasive or in situ breast cancer before, has been treated with chest radiation, or has other hereditary syndromes causing breast cancer.

Your Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score is usually provided as percentages which corresponds to your five- or 10-year risk of developing breast cancer, together with your lifetime risk of developing the disease.

If you use The Gail Model, available through the National Cancer Institute, the results are easy to read, with your risk score listed next to the average risk of women of the same age, race, and ethnicity to help you see whether you’re considered at or above average risk. However, because this tool is intended for healthcare professionals, it's recommended that you print out the results to discuss with your healthcare provider.

Knowing your lifetime risk of developing breast cancer can help you make informed choices about screening—as Munn shared in her Instagram post, having a lifetime risk of 20% or higher puts you in the high-risk category for breast cancer, and means you should get a breast MRI and mammogram every year, starting at age 30. With a higher lifetime risk percentage, it's also important to work with a healthcare professional on the best strategy for monitoring your health.

Although your Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score may be accurately estimated, it's important to note that it can not definitively predict who will or will not go on to develop breast cancer. Having a high risk doesn't mean a person is going to be diagnosed with breast cancer, just as having a low risk doesn't mean a person will never develop the disease.

In that case, it's essential to use your Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Score in conjunction with other preventative measures, including keeping up with regular mammograms, said Mouabbi, along with being familiar with your body and any changes that may arise.

'In healthcare, everything is about trends with your own personal health,' said Christine Greves, MD, an ob-gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida. 'If you notice a change in your breast, regardless of whether you have those risk factors or not, it's important to bring it up to your doctor to get further evaluated.'