Genetic Testing For Breast Cancer

Genetic testing and breast cancer BRCA1 and BRCA2

If you are concerned about breast cancer, the first step is to talk things over with your doctor or genetic counselor.

You will be asked about your family history and ethnicity, and birth parents on each side of your family who have had breast cancer or related issues.

If a faulty breast cancer gene has been identified in a family member, you can go directly to a specialist genetics service.

Once your doctor or genetic counselor has made a full family history, your risk of developing breast cancer can be assessed.

Most women are more at risk without any other woman.

If this happens, your counselor should discuss with you and provide you with written information on the breast being aware of the risks and lifestyle.

However, if you develop breast changes or if your family history or circumstances change, it is important to go back and see your GP.

Increased risk

A small number of women can be regarded as having an increased risk of developing breast cancer because of strong family history.

If this applies to you, you will be considered as having one of the following:

• moderate risk


• high risk.

You will then be sent either a clinical history of the family or a specialist in cancer genetics. The type of care you receive will depend on your level of risk.

Screening

Depending on your age, you may be offered a mammogram.

Women between the ages of 40 and 49 will normally be offered annual mammograms.

However, it is currently unclear mammograms are they effective at detecting early breast cancer in women at increased risk - clinical trials are currently investigating this issue.

For this reason, women aged 30-39 will be offered mammograms as part of a research study rather than as a matter of routine.

Women under 30 years are unlikely to be offered mammograms, the breast tissue of younger women is too dense to produce a clear mammogram.

Genetic counseling

If you are considered at high risk of developing breast cancer you will be offered genetic counseling specialist.

This will give you more information about your family history, how your life can affect you, which means having a genetic test, and the options available to you if you choose to go forward with the test.

You may feel anxious to know your risk of developing breast cancer, but remember that your adviser is trained to deal with these issues.

Test

The test (screening of BRCA1 and BRCA2) is through Eastern Biotech & Life Sciences, Dubai on a blood sample from a living relative who has already developed breast or ovarian cancer.

The results may take several months to complete, as it is technically very difficult to identify the defective gene.

If you found that the gene is faulty, but you will not necessarily breast cancer, you have a higher risk of doing so.

In Ashkenazi Jewish women, experts already know that there are three mistakes of specific genes in a large proportion of families with breast and ovarian cancer is common.

This means that testing can be offered to parents at high risk without having to search for genes.