Study Discovers 72 Genetic Mutations Linked to Hereditary Breast Cancer
The choice to undergo genetic testing
A majority of women who develop breast cancer have no family history of the disease. However, when a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer is present, it is believed that the woman may have an inherited abnormal gene associated with a higher risk of breast cancer or ovarian cancer. For this reason, some women choose to undergo genetic testing. A genetic test is a type of medical test that involves giving a saliva sample or blood sample to be analyzed for any gene abnormalities. The most common genetic tests for breast cancer to date are the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. If the results from the genetic test reveal a woman to be a carrier of other genetic abnormalities, a multigene panel test may be recommended.
