Letlow Legislation Helps Women Better Understand their Breast Cancer Risk

October 6, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off, Congresswoman Julia Letlow has filed legislation aimed at strengthening risk assessment services for women vulnerable to a breast cancer diagnosis. Letlow’s Know Your Risk Act would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to advance a single, universal breast cancer risk assessment tool, while expanding access to risk evaluation services under the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. “1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and early interventions are proven to increase treatment quality as well as the odds of survival. A risk assessment tool was crucial for determining my own risk, and I want all at-risk women to have the same opportunity,” said Congresswoman Julia Letlow. Risk assessments generally evaluate an individual’s likelihood of developing cancer based on family history, genetic factors, reproductive history, and lifestyle factors. A universal tool would give women better access to information about their individual breast cancer risk, while helping physicians detect cases earlier and thus provide more effective treatments. A proliferation of risk evaluation tools and the lack of a clear, go-to assessment prevents many women from properly determining their risk. “We have to close gaps that prevent many women from evaluating their risk in the first place,” added Letlow . “Like many women and families, I’ve had personal experiences with this awful disease and continue to see the need to ensure that women are not left in the dark when it comes to knowing their risk.” Specifically, the legislation: Requires HHS to advance plans for a single, publicly accessible risk-assessment tool. Requires the agency to study existing breast-cancer risk tools and report to Congress on inaccuracies in existing risk-assessment tools, gaps in their use among different populations, and what causes those inaccuracies and gaps.s Expands access to breast cancer risk assessment tools under CDC grants available to states under the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. ###