According to the National Cancer Institute, about 12% of American women will develop breast cancer during their lives. About 55% to 65% of women who inherited the harmful BRCA1 gene could have a mutation; around 45% of women who inherited the harmful BRCA2 gene will develop breast cancer by the age of seventy. Breast cancer can develop in both men and women since the BRCA gene can be pass down to males and females. Approximately 800 women carry the BRCA1 gene; while 1 out of 1,000 women carry the BRCA2 gene.
The good news is that the chance of inheriting this gene is rare, thus most physicians only recommend genetic testing to those who comes from a history of breast cancer. One rule of thumb to remember is that only 10% of breast cancers are attributed to inherited gene mutations. Other ways to evaluate the chance of having the gene to develop breast cancer can be:
- If you have a close relative who has breast cancer
- If you have a close relative who has ovarian cancer
- If you have a personal history of breast cancer in one or both breast
- A diagnosis of breast cancer before the age of 45
- If you are a descendant of an Ashkenazi Jew
Even with all these possibilities listed above, it is always important to consult to a professional before assuming the worst possible scenario. The BRCA test is a blood test that uses DNA analysis to detect any mutations in the patient's genes. Once again, it is advise to go to a professional--such as a genetic counselor, to review your family and medical history; also to learn about different actions that can be taken should the result comes back positive or negative. While there is no medical risk taking the test, there are emotional consequences including: anxiety, sadness or depression, uncertainty and concerns regarding family relationships, depending on the outcome.
This article caught my interest because I didn't knew Angelia Jolie's raised so much awareness for the women of America on gene testing. While it isn't a pleasant topic, I do worry about my grandmother and mother each time they have their yearly check-ups. I cannot image the changes families have to go through when they learn about their loved ones having breast cancer. However genetic testing may not be a bad thing. the earlier you find the cancer the better chance you have fighting against it!
Jia, I really enjoyed your post! Articles concerning the ethics of genetic testing are always extremely intriguing to me. As I have commented before, I personally follow the "knowledge is power" mentality and like to know as much about my body as possible in order to take proper preventive measures; however, I completely understand the other end of the spectrum where too much knowledge regarding one's health can be dangerous to one's sanity. I firmly believe that advances in genetic testing will have positive influences on the population's health; however, I think more efforts need to be placed in educating the public on the implications of genetic testing.
ReplyDeleteThis raises a dilemma of whether knowing your risks through genetic testing could also hurt you in the long run. Overall I personally think it is a great thing if you knew what risks you could have inherited, but could insurance and healthcare systems use that same information against you?
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