(BRCA's) Cancer cure hopes as genetic code hereditary breast disease is mapped for first time - media

Cancer cure hopes as genetic code hereditary breast disease is mapped for first time

"....The study also included teams from the Institut Curie in France, the University Medical Centre Utrecht in the Netherlands, The Cancer Research UK London Research Institute in London and the University of Nottingham.
Last week the ICR, writing in the British Journal of Cancer, said all women under 50 who are diagnosed with triple-negative (TN) breast cancer should be screened for the BRCA1 gene fault, which also carries with it an additional high risk of developing ovarian cancer....."

Myriad Genetics’ Australian Cancer Gene Patents Go on Trial in Sydney, Australia - Bloomberg

Seminars in Oncology - BRCA1 and BRCA2 Variants of Uncertain Significance. Part Two: Medical Management

Article Outline (October 2011)

• Breast Surgical Oncologist's Opinion
• Breast Surgical Oncologist's Opinion
• Genitourinary Oncologist's Opinion
• Gastroenterologist's Opinion
• Discussion
• References

abstract: Long-Term Psychosocial Outcomes of BRCA1/BRCA2 Testing: Differences across Affected Status and Risk-Reducing Surgery Choice.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have documented the short-term impact of BRCA1/BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) testing; however, little research has examined the long-term impact of testing. We conducted the first long-term prospective study of psychosocial outcomes in a U.S. sample of women who had BRCA1/2 testing.

METHODS: Participants were 464 women who underwent genetic testing for BRCA1/2 mutations. Prior to testing, we measured sociodemographics, clinical variables, and cancer specific and general distress. At long-term follow-up (Median = 5.0 years; Range = 3.4-9.1 years), we assessed cancer-specific and genetic testing distress, perceived stress, and perceived cancer risk. We evaluated the impact of BRCA1/2 test result and risk-reducing surgery on long-term psychosocial outcomes.

RESULTS: Among participants who had been affected with breast or ovarian cancer, BRCA1/2 carriers reported higher genetic testing distress (β = 0.41, P < 0.0001), uncertainty (β = 0.18, P < 0.0001), and perceived stress (β = 0.17, P = 0.005) compared with women who received negative (i.e., uninformative) results. Among women unaffected with breast/ovarian cancer, BRCA1/2 carriers reported higher genetic testing distress (β = 0.39, P < 0.0001) and lower positive testing experiences (β = 0.25, P = 0.008) than women with negative results. Receipt of risk-reducing surgery was associated with lower perceived cancer risk (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: In this first prospective long-term study in a U.S. sample, we found modestly increased distress in BRCA1/2 carriers compared with women who received uninformative or negative test results. Despite this modest increase in distress, we found no evidence of clinically significant dysfunction.Impact: Although a positive BRCA1/2 result remains salient among carriers years after testing, testing does not seem to impact long-term psychologic dysfunction. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 21(00); 1-11. ©2012 AACR.