Should Every Woman Undergo Genetic Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer?

Marjan Champine, M.S., G.S.C.Genetic Counselor, Huntsman Cancer InstituteTo reach her, contact Linda Aagard:801-587-7639[email protected]

Upon learning that she carries the BRCA1 mutation, Angelina Jolie chose to undergo elective surgeries to remove her breasts and ovaries. Women who inherit certain mutations in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 have a lifetime risk of up to 80 percent for developing breast cancer and 60 percent for developing ovarian cancer. So why don’t all women undergo genetic testing to see if they are carriers of life-threatening mutations?

Marjan Champine, M.S., G.S.C., is a genetic counselor at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah who is available to talk about current guidelines for BRCA testing, what they mean for women, and whether they should be updated.