Why Olivia Munn Wants You to Take This Quick Breast Cancer Test

Olivia Munn did all the pieces she knew to be proactive about breast most cancers screening. Her mammogram, ultrasound, and testing for a most cancers gene mutation all got here again destructive.

Her OB/GYN in Beverley Hills, Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, simply had one query: Did she know her lifetime risk assessment score?

After they did the two-minute take a look at collectively, which assesses components like household historical past and the date of your first interval, Munn realized she had a 37% threat of breast most cancers. She sought out an MRI — a simpler screening instrument for ladies who, like her, have higher breast density.

“I bear in mind the radiologist stated, ‘Why are you right here? You are too younger to be getting an MRI,'” Munn, 45, stated in a reside recording of the “SHE MD” podcast with Aliabadi. Munn stated the physician was “so shocked” she knew in regards to the lifetime threat evaluation.

Munn was recognized with stage 1 breast cancer at 43 and underwent a double mastectomy. The identical evaluation led to her mom, Kim Munn, additionally being recognized with and handled for stage 1 breast most cancers in July 2025.

The expertise taught Munn that there is no such factor as being too secure in relation to cancer screenings.

“Most cancers needs us to be too busy,” she stated. “You need to cease it when it is in your yard. You do not need to cease it at your door…and also you positively do not need to wait till it is hovering over your mattress.”

Take the brief take a look at if you happen to’re over 25

There are just a few totally different fashions of the breast cancer lifetime threat evaluation, each of which take minutes to finish. The Gail model asks eight primary questions, together with the affected person’s age, race, and household historical past. The Tyrer-Cuzick model goes slightly extra in-depth, asking about any ovarian most cancers historical past or hormone-replacement remedy utilization.

In 2023, the American College of Radiology lowered the beneficial lifetime threat evaluation screening age to 25 and up. Whereas the annual breast most cancers screening age is 45, those that rating 20% and up within the evaluation are inspired to talk to their medical doctors and get screened sooner. Some, like Munn and her mom, may additionally endure extra detailed testing, comparable to getting an MRI — a step that is perhaps skipped with out the evaluation.

“You want to comprehend it the identical manner you must know what your blood strain is, what your blood sugar degree is,” Munn stated. “It is simply one thing very normal.”