Breast Cancer Focus Panel:

Sample Required: Buccal Swab (included in kit)

Number of Genes: 13

Genes included: ATM, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, CDH1, CHEK2, NF1, PALB2, PTEN, RAD51C, RAD51D, STK11, TP53

Description:

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women and approximately 5 to 10% of breast cancers are hereditary.  Many cases of hereditary breast cancer are because of pathogenic variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.  These genes are involved in repairing damage to DNA in breast and other tissues.

If you inherited a disease associated variant in a gene related to breast cancer, it increases (but does not guarantee) your chance of developing breast cancer.

This panel includes genes associated with moderate to high risk of hereditary breast cancer and has established clinical management guidelines for disease-causing variants. 

Who is this test for?

This panel is for patients with a breast cancer diagnosis and may be appropriate for anyone with a personal or family history of breast cancer.  Testing is strongly recommended if your patient or a member of their family has been diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50, triple-negative breast cancer, male breast cancer, or if there have been multiple cases of cancer in a single individual.

What are the potential benefits for breast cancer patients?

Confirming the presence of a pathogenic variant linked to breast cancer helps patients and their care team better monitor risk factors.  Knowing the specific variant can lead to more targeted screening and treatment plans.

Genetic testing for hereditary cancer can:

• Establish or confirm a diagnosis

• Identify risk for other cancers and health conditions

• Assist in modifying lifestyle changes

• Result in more personalised treatment, which may include increased screening, pharmacological treatments, and prophylactic surgeries.