Cancer risk assessment and the genetic counseling process: using hereditary breast and ovarian cancer as an example.

While only a small proportion of cancers can be attributed to a hereditary susceptibility, identifying high-risk individuals plays an essential role in medical management and has a significant impact on the patient as well as their immediate and extended family members. This paper aims at increasing the medical professionals' knowledge of the components of a genetic counseling session, with particular attention toward identifying at-risk individuals and understanding the complexities of the testing process. In addition, tools are provided to assist in identifying these individuals in clinical practice and streamlining the referral process to a cancer genetics center.

Prucka SK ，McIlvried DE ，Korf BR 《-》

Hereditary breast-ovarian cancer: clinical findings and medical management.

Marshall M ，Solomon S 《-》

[Inherited breast and ovarian cancers].

Gerdes AM ，Ejlertsen B 《-》

Influence of race/ethnicity on genetic counseling and testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

Forman AD ，Hall MJ 《-》

Considerations in genetic counseling for inherited breast cancer predisposition.

Of the 190000 women estimated to have been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001, between 5% and 10% of them are likely to have developed their disease as the result of an inherited susceptibility. Although breast cancer is a component tumor of several familial cancer predisposition syndromes, mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most commonly identified germline changes. Recognition of hereditary breast cancer is critical to allow the implementation of appropriate treatment, screening, and prevention strategies for the affected woman and her family members. Genetic testing may play an important role in refining risk assessment, identifying individuals at risk before cancer has developed, and relieving anxiety in family members who have not inherited the predisposition.

Robson ME ，Offit K 《SEMINARS IN RADIATION ONCOLOGY》