Poll 1: Positive Feedback regarding the Breast Cancer Risk Calculator.

In September 2000, a poll appeared on the risk calculator, asking "Should I remove this Risk Calculator from the internet?"  The results were very supportive, with 92% saying I should keep it going. 

Many of the poll respondents left encouraging comments:

• I think this is a wonderful tool. Thank you very much. My doctor never told me statistically what my risks are!
• An excellent tool don't even consider removing it! In fact, advertise it better!
• Great idea. I'm adding the link to my site and sending it all my friends.
• I think most users of this site probably realize this is not any kind of definitive assessment of their risks... but is IS very informative.
• The more tools there are to help women judge their risk, the better. If it gets someone to go to the Dr or to ask a Dr questions, that is reason enough.
• For many women this is the only place where they can get a quick check to see if they would be at risk. Keep up the good work!
• Extremely efficient, fairly thorough, accessible and useful!
• Don't remove it. There are many persons in the WORLD who need this type of help.
• This is a great tool! Many women can benefit from this! Please keep this up!
• This is an outstanding and important site! I use in clinical practice and in teaching.
• I am a mammographer and this information needs to be recognized no matter which calculator is used. Keep on doing what you are.
• I think you are providing a great service to women! Most realize a low risk factor doesn't necessarily mean that they won't develop breast cancer.
• Every woman should see this.
• I believe you are performing a valuable service to many women, especially those you have a hard time discussing concerns with their doctors or family.
• It's a helpful thing to remind women everywhere that they need to keep up with their health issues.. 
• I am now going through more testing for breast cancer due to a mass in my breast. Thank you for this information.
• Women should definitely have a mammogram done at least once a year over the age of 35. This test may make a woman think more about getting one!
• You'll always have critics, but the fact is that breast cancer is out there, it's serious, and you are making people aware of it; that's what matters.
• Brilliant - if only from an awareness point of view in terms of the risk factors that accentuate my chances of contracting breast cancer.
• I do think that this calculator is a very important factor to keep on the "net".
• Please keep this site. It serves as a valuable guideline.
• Your tool is great and very much needed in women's health
• Very nice job on the risk calculator! During recent STAR trial meetings, I had tried unsuccessfully to piece together the formula on the "Risk Disc. I will gladly link to your site. S Moses, MD
• Such an important topic and a great service you are providing!
• I have been thanked for sending ladies to your wonderful site.
• Your site is absolutely fabulous and I'm so glad to see it as I am so glad to see more sites devoted to breast cancer.
• I have printed this URL and hand it to my patients, so please do not discontinue this site.
• Thank-you for caring enough to provide this site.

Some poll respondents gave constructive criticism:

• I think this is an important service, but there doesn't seem to be a follow-up. Is there some way women could be encouraged to download their results...
• I voted to remove it, but I didn't do this with any great animosity. I just feel it could cause unnecessary worry. The majority who voted support it.
• It gave me very low risk values, I was dx with breast cancer requiring surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. It appears to give false reassurance.
• The calculator showed my risk to be 1% when in fact I've been diagnosed at stage 4. You should say "Are you female? You are at risk!"
• If the presence of this calculator assists women to understand their risk and encourages them to seek advice and assistance then it is valuable.
• this is ONLY a guide... and only a guide. Further findings should be with my own doctor.
• You don't have specific enough for people who have had breast cancer in one breast.
• Keep it!!!  Women need to know! But why not consider risk factor of aunts also?  My mother has cancer (3 times now) and 4 sisters died with it...
• You don't say what the risk is for women who have already had one breast removed due to cancer.
• Maybe you should stress that this is only a tool more through the body of the risk calculator
• I briefly responded to your survey on-line but wanted to encourage you to continue! I am a University based clinician with training in epidemiology, a research background that includes study of the effect of HRT on breast density and with a practice that includes work in our multidisciplinary Breast Health Center. Your site has been useful in patient counseling and I prefer it to the NCI site which I find rigid and lacking in details about the model's strength and weaknesses. It is also an important teaching tool and I encourage residents to change the assumptions and get an appreciation for the role of various risk factors.
  In response to those who criticized the models you have chosen I would, point out that these models are the best we have and are already used clinically in the case of decisions re Tamoxifen. You provide sufficient information on the source and assumption of the model. The use of additional risk factors might be a little more problematic since you are making the assumption of independence and that the populations from which these figures as derived are similar. This is probably not the case. Perhaps a stronger disclaimer at the beginning of this section, more details in your methods section about the RR you derived from the literature might be in order. M Laya, MD

 

Thank-you to everyone who responded to the poll. You've encouraged me to continue, and I'll work on improving it, based on your feedback.

Sincerely,
Steven B. Halls, MD

see Poll 2 results.  Back to the Breast Cancer Risk Calculator