Breast and ovarian cancers are the most common cancers in women and rank fifth among all cancer types. Hereditary forms of breast and ovarian cancer account for 5 to 10% of all diagnosed cases and have been clearly linked to mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes.
Panel Scope
A total of 27 gene regions are analyzed in the panel: ABRAXAS1 (FAM175A), ATM, BAP1, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, CDH1, CHEK2, DICER1, ERBB2, FANCC, MLH1, MRE11, MSH2, MSH6, MUTYH, PALB2, PIK3CA, PMS2, POLD1, POLE, PTEN, RAD50, RAD51, SMARCA4, TP53, XRCC2.
Who Should Be Tested?
BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing is strongly recommended if a patient's personal or family history includes any of the following:
- Women diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 50
- Ovarian cancer at any age
- Cancer developing twice in the same breast
- Cancer detected in both breasts
- Triple-negative breast cancer (estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 negative)
- A history of breast or ovarian cancer together with pancreatic cancer in the same individual or a relative
- A history of breast cancer in two or more relatives
- A previously identified BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation in the family
- Breast cancer in men
- Individuals with a male relative diagnosed with breast cancer