Family breast cancer might not require early screening

A new report says there are certain factors doctors can look for to determine whether early screening is advisable.

In families with a history of breast cancer, the report suggests it's important for doctors to analyze not just the number of cases, but whether those cases occurred in first or second-degree relatives. With that information doctors can indentify risk factors and pin down which women are more likely to develop breast cancer at an early age.

The report is published in the journal BMC Cancer.