Inherited Risk for Breast Cancer ('BRCA Gene-Gene Panel')
Genes in estrogen metabolism determine a level of risk for breast cancer from very low to high
Inherited risk for Breast Cancer
Your level of inherited risk for breast cancer is reported based on genes in estrogen metabolism. Mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are not detected. The test was developed to assess predisposition for white women of European ancestry.
This is not a diagnostic test and does not indicate the presence or absence of breast cancer. A risk score is not an absolute indicator that a person will or will not develop BRCA.
One in seven women is diagnosed with breast cancer, caused by many factors, both inherited and related to lifestyle.
Our overall assessment of inherited predisposition to breast cancer evaluates a number of genes that are involved in estrogen metabolism. This body of information enables women to be categorized as at very low, low, moderate or high risk based upon the presence and interaction of those genes. Click here for detailed information.
The percentage of women in the population at each risk level is shown in Figure 1, and indicates that most women are at very low or low risk. Your personal genetic assessment will be compared to the general population to determine your level of risk for breast cancer. For example, you might be at very low risk, with 22% of women having lower risk and 78% having higher risk.
Figure 1. Breast cancer risk in the population
This test defines a wide range of inherited predisposition to breast cancer. No claim is made that all relevant genes are tested. Further, a low level of inherited predisposition does not quarantee that you will not develop breast cancer, nor does a high level of predisposition guarantee that you will develop breast cancer with certainty.