Pontiac — McLaren Oakland, part of statewide Karmanos Cancer Institute and a regional leader in cancer care and screening procedures, has enhanced its capabilities to assess patients’ risk for developing breast and other common cancers with the addition of Volpara Risk Pathways.
An industry-leading software program, Volpara determines patients’ individual and unique risk for cancers and manages their care to ensure they receive the appropriate level of timely care.
Volpara will be available to patients through McLaren Breast Centers at McLaren Oxford and at McLaren Oakland in Pontiac.

“Researchers are making meaningful progress in cancer care all the time, but until the day arrives that cancer has been cured, early detection continues to provide patients and their care teams with the greatest advantage when faced with a cancer diagnosis,” said Dr. Kristin Booth, diagnostic radiologist and McLaren Oakland Medical Director of Breast Imaging. “Adding Volpara gives our patients and providers greater ability to identify patients most at-risk for breast cancer, help to connect them with the level of care they need, and to gain potentially lifesaving advantage in the treatment of their condition.”
Patients serve a crucial role in their risk assessment by providing details about personal and family history. Volpara creates easy-to-access digital health questionnaires, reaching women in primary care or OB/GYN offices and even their homes. Using the information provided, clinical teams can identify high-risk patients with the application of risk models and clinical guidelines, and those patients can be directed to follow-up care, such as mammograms, ultrasounds, and breast MRIs.
During their lifetime, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, making it critical for women to receive not only regular mammography screenings but also to discuss their personal risk for developing breast cancer with their provider, who may recommend additional screenings or care.
Volpara also facilitates convenient integration with leading genetic labs. Once a need for genetic testing or other follow-up care has been determined, the software allows providers to track patients’ progress, update their risk profiles, and generate additional communications, including educational and medical necessity materials.
Make an appointment with a McLaren Oakland primary care provider to discuss and determine breast cancer risk at mclaren.org/oaklandappointments.
Learn more about all services provided at McLaren Oakland and its comprehensive care campuses in Clarkston and Oxford at mclaren.org/oakland.