Biotech Values

[dewophile]

BRCA testing

i think there is a huge difference in knowing you are at higher risk with a family hx of breast CA versus knowing you are at an extraordinarily (90% lifetime) risk of knowing you are at a higher risk of breast AND suddenly you are at a markedly higher risk of ovarian as well - something you may not have known about simply by family history of breast CA alone. the latter is particularly important since there is no good screening, and removal of the ovaries reduces risk by 95% (the residual risk as you know is due to primary peritoneal cancer). there is also some risk reduction prior to completion of childbearing for ovarian using OCPs. I also think more women are considering prophylactic mastecomy now with brca given the degree of risk and the improvements in reconstructive surgery. so in my view there is a tangible advantage to knowing your BRCA status - and i think this is the very message now being delivered (fairly effectively from the one talk/pitch i heard) to gyns