LONDON (Reuters) - Genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer should be offered only to a small proportion of women from high-risk families, Britain’s drug use watchdog said on Wednesday.
The National Institute of Clinical Excellence said its new guideline was designed to identify and care for women at risk of “familial” breast cancer, but the great majority of women with a family history of the disease did not fall into a high-risk category and would not develop cancer.
Testing can now identify mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that have been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Dealing with the results of such tests is not easy, since it may mean deciding to have a mastectomy to prevent getting cancer.
“There are circumstances when it is advisable for a woman to have seemingly healthy breasts removed, but these are rare,” said Mark Sibbering, a consultant surgeon at Derby General Hospital.
“This guideline identifies when this should be offered as an option and will standardise practice across the NHS (National Health Service) in England and Wales.”
The Genewatch UK lobby group welcomed the decision to recommend genetic testing for only a small proportion of women, which it said contrasted with the situation in the United States, where Myriad Genetics Inc has advertised its BRAC Analysis test directly to consumers.
MeSH Headings:Breast Neoplasms: Health Care Economics and Organizations: Genetic Techniques: Health Planning: Investigative Techniques: Mutagenicity Tests: National Health Programs: Neoplasms: Neoplasms by Site: Toxicity Tests: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: Diseases: Health CareCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
