Open AccessRisk Modeling in Breast Cancer
Author(s) -
Euhus David
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
the breast journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1524-4741
pISSN - 1075-122X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1524-4741.2004.101s4.x
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , genetic testing , brca mutation , mutation , oncology , psychological intervention , cancer , genetic counseling , risk assessment , medical physics , bioinformatics , gene , genetics , computer science , psychiatry , biology , computer security
Woman with BRCA‐1 or BRCA‐2 mutations have a significantly increased risk for breast cancer. While genetic testing can provide valuable information concerning this increased risk and the proposed benefit of risk‐reducing interventions, the absolute breast cancer risk conferred by BRCA‐1 and BRCA‐2 mutations remains to be fully determined. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guidelines indicate that testing should be considered in women whose mutation probability is greater than 10%. None of the currently available approaches for determining BRCA gene mutation probability are 100% accurate. The computer program BRCAPRO is a useful adjunct for estimating these probabilities, but limitations inherent in mathematical models make it essential that genetic counselors are involved in decisions to perform genetic testing.