My mother had breast cancer and I’m thinking about having that genetic test to see if I'm at risk (I'm 54). What do you think?
Dr. Hibberd's answer:
This is a reasonable thing to consider for many women who are at risk of developing breast cancer. But it might be useful for your mother to be tested first, if that is possible.
It is not cost effectiveness for the general population to have the test done. This is because the available method is not a comprehensive test for breast cancer prediction, but is mainly a genetic marker of risk in women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.
Also, a negative genetic test result does not necessarily mean you won't develop cancer. But a positive test result may alert you that you must undergo more frequent cancer screenings or consider other steps to protect yourself.
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