Genetic Counseling for Breast Cancer

Genetic Counseling for Breast Cancer

The Cancer Genetics Program is a collaborative effort between Northwestern Medicine and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. This program provides risk assessment, surveillance and management recommendations for individuals and families at increased risk for developing cancer because of their personal or family history.

Genetic counseling helps you understand your personal and family risk for cancer, particularly breast cancer. Since genetic testing frequently reveals that there is no specific genetic explanation for cancer patterns in a particular family, genetic counseling is also extremely helpful in understanding the meaning of a test result that does not show any mutations.

Two gene mutations, BRCA1 and BRCA2, put people at higher risk of breast cancer:

• Women who inherit mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have a 56% to 87% risk of developing breast cancer by the age of 70.
• These mutations also result in an increased risk of breast cancer in men, particularly the BRCA2 gene, with a lifetime risk that is close to 10%.

It’s important to note that some people who have BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations never get any type of cancer.

A blood test can determine whether you carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Deciding what to do with that information, however, can be difficult. Northwestern Medicine genetic counselors can help you make choices that are right for you. If you are concerned about breast cancer history in your family, consider talking with your primary care physician about a referral to a genetic counselor.