USPSTF Updates Recommendations for Breast, Ovarian Cancer Gene Screening
[from AMA Morning Rounds]
Reuters
(8/20, Boggs) reports, “Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are associated
with increased risks for breast, ovarian, and other cancers, but only certain
women stand to benefit from genetic testing, according to updated recommendations
from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).” The task force
“recommends genetic testing if a woman’s history suggests a potential for
inherited cancer risk, but even then, only if the test results will help her
make decisions about further evaluation and treatment.”
The AP
(8/20, Neergaard) reports on Tuesday, USPSTF expanded recommendations for who
should get screened for BRCA mutations. Previously, the task force recommended
screening for “women who have relatives with BRCA-related cancers and refer
those who might benefit from gene testing to a genetic counselor to help them
decide.” The new recommendations,
published in JAMA, now suggest primary care physicians should assess risk for
women “previously...treated for breast or other BRCA-related cancers,” and
whose “ancestry is prone to BRCA mutations, such as Ashkenazi Jewish women.” MedPage
Today (8/20, Ingram) reports the task force members “recommend a
three-step process: a brief risk assessment with a validated tool, referral to
genetic counseling if positive, and then BRCA1/2 mutation testing if
indicated.” Meanwhile, the group “did not recommend multigene panel testing,
omitting other genes linked to increased cancer risk, and instead focused on
BRCA1/2 mutations specifically, citing the available evidence on and prevalence
of these mutations, and their clinical actionability.”
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