New blood test screens genes for breast cancer predisposition.

NBC
Published: October 28, 2008

A new study shows that more women are undergoing genetic testing to determine if they are at increased risk of getting breast and ovarian cancer.

During the last few years, the number of women having breast cancer has doubled.

Jennifer Pena, 29, faced her risk of breast cancer head-on.

“My mother passed away eight years ago from breast cancer and one of her sisters has had ovarian cancer twice,“ Pena said. “My fear is getting it obviously.“

Genetic testing involves getting a blood test, which will detect if patients have a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes.

“BRCA 1 and 2 accounts for about 40 percent of hereditary breast cancer, “ Talia Donenburg of the University of Miami’s Sylvester Cancer Center said.

If a mutation is found, Pena’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is 80 percent.

“I’m nervous for it to be positive, although my attitude is if I have it, I have it and move forward. Cancer runs in my family,“ Pena said.

A new commercial promoting the blood test is helping to raise awareness, but it’s also creating some confusion,.

“Many women call saying, ‘I want that gene test’ and they’re not really sure what gene test they’re asking for, and the fact is that there are many genes can cause breast cancer,“ Donenburg said.

Experts say that not every woman who has a family member with breast cancer needs genetic testing.

“It just happens to be that breast cancer is so frequent in the public or in the community that it’s just random chance that those cancers occurred,“ Dr. Joseph Lucci of the center said.

Only ten percent of breast and ovarian cancers are a result of genetic predisposition.

Experts say a candidate should consider counseling and testing if there’s a strong history of breast cancer in their family especially “if there is a family history of two or more first-degree relatives have breast cancer, particularly if it occurs at an early age or if there is a woman with breast and one with ovarian cancer in the family,“ Lucci said.

Maria Renfrow said she had the test after her sisters were diagnosed.

“Both my sisters had it,“ she said. “My sister passed away at 45 and my other sister developed ovarian cancer at age 37.“

But unlike her sisters, Renfrow does not have the BRAC2 mutation.

She said she encouraged her niece to be tested.

Pena will get her results in a week or two.

If the test shows that she has the genetic predisposition she will be monitored closely with breast and ovary screenings every six months.