Angelia Jolie’s double mastectomy has focused attention on the threat of hereditary breast cancer. A new review article in eLS explains that as hereditary breast cancer accounts for approximately 5-10% of all breast cancer diagnoses, it is critical to identify individuals with a hereditary breast cancer predisposition.
Key Concepts Include:
- Approximately 5-10% of breast cancers are hereditary.
- Recent studies suggest that breast cancer risk may be increased in young BRCA-positive women who initiate screening mammograms before the age of 30.
- Recent studies suggest that doubling the standard 5-year course of tamoxifen use can reduce breast cancer recurrence and mortality in high-risk women.
- Formal genetic risk assessment is helpful to determine the most appropriate and cost-effective strategy for genetic testing.
- The medical management for hereditary breast cancer predisposition syndromes includes high-risk surveillance, prophylactic surgical options, lifestyle changes and chemoprevention.
