Transgender Patient Screening: Breast Cancer Risk Assessment and Screening Recommendations

Background: When a discrepancy exists between an individual’s biologic sex and the deeply felt sense of being male or female, a transgender orientation may result. 


Objectives: The purpose of this article is to summarize breast cancer risk assessment and screening recommendations for transgender individuals. 


Methods: A review of the literature was done to determine if evidence-based screening guidelines exist for transgender individuals and how they can be applied to clinical practice. 


Findings: Most of the available research is descriptive of this patient population and identifies barriers in accessing healthcare services rather than how to provide care. The medical community must address transgender individuals’ specific healthcare needs in a comprehensive and affirmative manner.