Approximately 12% of women, or one in eight, will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives, according to the National Cancer Institute. However, the risk is substantially higher for women who inherit a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene that prevents the gene from producing proteins that help suppress tumors. The lifetime… Continue reading Is Prophylactic Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy Advised for Women with BRCA Mutations?
Tag: BRCA2
Prophylactic Mastectomy: Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer
Every woman is at risk for breast cancer just by being female and growing older. Many women are diligently attentive to the lifestyle factors that can reduce their risk: They don’t smoke, eat a plant-based diet, control their weight, exercise regularly, avoid hormone therapy, and limit exposure to radiation and environmental pollution. For some high-risk… Continue reading Prophylactic Mastectomy: Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer
Multigene Testing Replacing BRCA Tests for Breast Cancer Risk
The use of genetic tests aimed at detecting mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in women with breast cancer is declining in favor of tests that can detect multiple cancer-associated mutations, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and five other U.S. medical centers. Some researchers had wondered whether multigene… Continue reading Multigene Testing Replacing BRCA Tests for Breast Cancer Risk
Needed: More Genetic Testing for At-Risk Women
Physicians often fail to recommend genetic testing for breast cancer patients who are at high risk for mutations associated with ovarian and other cancers, according to a large study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and five other U.S. medical centers. Asian-Americans and older women were particularly likely to be “undertested.” Not… Continue reading Needed: More Genetic Testing for At-Risk Women