Fraboc is the short name for an Australian online tool that helped doctors and nurses check a woman’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer by looking at her family history. The tool is now retired, but people still search for it every day. Some want to know what the word means. Others used to see it at their doctor’s office and want to find it again. This guide explains what Fraboc was, how it worked, why it was replaced, and what you can use today. It is written in plain English so anyone can follow it.
What Does Fraboc Stand For?
Fraboc stands for Familial Risk Assessment for Breast and Ovarian Cancer. The full name is often written as FRA-BOC, and most people shorten it to Fraboc when they type it into a search box.
Let us break the name into small parts. “Familial” means “about the family.” “Risk assessment” means checking how likely something is. “Breast and ovarian cancer” are the two cancers the tool looked at. Put together, the name tells you the whole idea: the tool looked at your family and estimated your chance of getting these two cancers.
Who Made Fraboc and Who Used It?
Fraboc was an online tool on the Cancer Australia website, and it was made for health professionals. Cancer Australia describes it as a tool for people such as general practitioners (GPs) and nurses. They used it to check a patient’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer based on family history.
This point matters. Fraboc was not made as a quiz for the public to diagnose themselves. A trained person asked the questions, entered the answers, and then talked with the patient about the result. If you are looking for a tool you can use on your own, you will find a better option later in this article.
How Did Fraboc Work?
Fraboc worked by asking about cancer in a woman’s family and then placing her in a risk group. A health worker would enter details such as which relatives had cancer, what type of cancer it was, and how old they were when they were diagnosed.
The tool looked at the pattern of cancer in the family, not just one single case. A simple question like “Did your mother have breast cancer?” gives only a small part of the story. A better question is how many relatives were affected, on which side of the family, and at what age. The tool was built to look at all of these details together.
Doctors also look at the mother’s side and the father’s side of the family separately. A patient’s father can pass on cancer risk genes just like a mother can. Health information from Westmead Breast Cancer Institute makes this point clearly, and it is one reason a full family history is so useful.
What Were the Three Risk Categories?
Fraboc sorted women into three groups: average risk, moderate risk, and potentially high risk. Each group led to different advice.
Category 1: Average risk. Most women belong here. Their family history does not point to a higher risk than other women of the same age. A Westmead brochure that explains the Fraboc groups says about 95 out of every 100 women fall into this group. Women in this group follow normal breast screening advice. In Australia, Cancer Australia recommends a free breast screen every two years for women aged 50 to 74.
Category 2: Moderately increased risk. Only a small number of women belong here. The same brochure says about four in every 100 women are in this group. These women may need more careful follow-up than average, and their doctor may suggest extra checks.
Category 3: Potentially high risk. A very small group of women belong here. Doctors look for certain patterns on the same side of the family. A medical guide from a Melbourne breast surgery clinic lists some of them:
- One or more relatives with breast or ovarian cancer, plus other signs
- Breast cancer found before the age of 40
- Cancer in both breasts
- Breast and ovarian cancer in the same woman
- Breast cancer in a male relative
Women in the third group are often sent to a family cancer clinic. There, specialists can look at the case in more detail and may offer genetic testing if it makes sense.
Why Does Family History Matter for Cancer Risk?
Family history matters because some cancers run in families, often through shared genes. Most breast and ovarian cancers happen by chance, but a smaller number are linked to gene changes passed from parent to child. The best known are changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
One research project in Australia, called kConFab, studied hundreds of families with a strong history of breast cancer. Out of its first 822 families, 518 had several cases of female breast cancer only, and 239 had cases of both breast and ovarian cancer. Studies like this help doctors learn which family patterns are worth a closer look.
It is important to say this clearly: a family history does not mean you will get cancer. NSW health advice says having one or more risk factors does not mean a woman will develop the disease. Many women with a family history never get cancer, and some women with no family history do. A risk tool only gives an estimate, and it helps you and your doctor plan the right checks.
Is Fraboc Still Available?
No, Fraboc is no longer available. Cancer Australia says the tool has been removed from its website and that newer tools to check breast cancer risk are now offered. Queensland’s BreastScreen service also states that the tool is gone and has been replaced.
If you search for Fraboc today, you may land on old documents, brochures, or blog posts. Some of these were written when the tool was still online. This is why the information can feel confusing. You may read about “using Fraboc” in an older leaflet, but the tool itself cannot be used any more.
What Replaced Fraboc?
iPrevent replaced Fraboc. It is an online breast cancer risk tool made in Australia by a team at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne. A medical oncologist named Professor Kelly-Anne Phillips led the work.
iPrevent does more than the old tool. According to the research team, it uses well-known risk models called IBIS and BOADICEA, and it picks the right one based on the woman’s risk factors. It also looks at more than family history. Details such as age, breast density, and lifestyle can be part of the picture. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) accepts it as a useful resource.
Here is a simple comparison:
| Feature | Fraboc | iPrevent |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Retired | Active |
| Main users | Doctors and nurses | Women and their doctors |
| Cancers covered | Breast and ovarian | Breast |
| Main focus | Family history | Family history and other risk factors |
How Does iPrevent Work?
iPrevent asks you a set of questions and then gives you a risk category and a personal report. According to BreastScreen South Australia, the calculator takes around 30 minutes, and you can download a report at the end.
The tool is made for women who have not had invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). It shows how your risk compares with other women of the same age.
iPrevent uses three risk levels set by Cancer Australia:
- Average risk: less than 1.5 times the population risk
- Moderate risk: 1.5 to 3 times the population risk
- High risk: more than 3 times the population risk
After you finish, the tool gives you a plan to talk through with your GP. It also explains choices such as screening and ways to lower your risk.
Remember that no tool can promise what will happen to you. BreastScreen SA reminds users that results are not a guarantee. Some women at higher risk never get breast cancer, and some women at lower risk do.
What Should You Do If Cancer Runs in Your Family?
Start by writing down what you know, then book a visit with your GP. You do not need a perfect list. Even a rough picture helps.
Try to find out these details:
- Which relatives had breast, ovarian, or related cancers
- Whether they were on your mother’s or father’s side
- How old they were when they were diagnosed
- Whether any male relatives had breast cancer
- Whether anyone in the family has had a gene test
Your doctor can use this to decide if you need normal screening, closer checks, or a visit to a family cancer clinic. If you live in Australia, you can also try iPrevent and bring the report to your appointment.
If you live outside Australia, ask your doctor which risk tools are used in your country. NSW health advice also lists tools used elsewhere, such as CanRisk in the UK and Tyrer-Cuzick in the USA.
Why Do Some Websites Say Fraboc Is Something Else?
Some websites describe Fraboc as a money-earning game app or as a method for making decisions, but these claims do not come from trusted sources. When you search the word, you will see these pages. One says it is an app for playing games and winning rewards. Another says it is a general framework for better choices. A third says it is a collaboration idea for developers.
These descriptions do not match each other, and none of them come from a health body or a government site. The only meaning backed by Cancer Australia and public health services is the cancer risk tool. If you are looking for health information, trust sources like government health pages, hospitals, and cancer centers. Be careful with any app that asks you to download files or pay money for something called Fraboc.
Conclusion
Fraboc was a useful Australian tool that turned family cancer history into a clear risk group, and it helped many doctors talk with their patients about breast and ovarian cancer. The tool is now retired, and iPrevent has taken its place with a wider view of risk. If cancer runs in your family, the best step is simple: collect your family facts and talk to your doctor. This article is for general information only and is not medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fraboc
What does Fraboc mean?
Fraboc is short for Familial Risk Assessment for Breast and Ovarian Cancer. It was an online tool from Cancer Australia. Doctors and nurses used it to look at a woman’s family history of cancer and place her in a risk group. The word does not refer to an app or a game.
Is Fraboc still available?
No. Cancer Australia has removed Fraboc from its website, and public health services say it has been replaced. You may still find old leaflets that mention it, but the tool does not work any more. If you want to check your breast cancer risk, ask your GP about iPrevent, which is the current Australian option.
Can I check my cancer risk online now?
Yes, women in Australia can use iPrevent for free. It takes about 30 minutes and gives a personal report with your risk category. The tool is for women who have not had invasive breast cancer or DCIS. Share the report with your GP, because only a doctor can explain what the result means for you.
