Many Breast Cancer Survivors Aren’t Receiving Genetic Testing Even When They’re Eligible

Many breast cancer survivors who are eligible for genetic testing are not receiving it, a new study finds.

The tests are becoming more important in guiding cancer treatment and follow-up care,

But researchers say they can fall through the cracks while patients undergo treatment, manage side effects and monitor for recurrence or progression.

The study included more than 14-hundred women who were surveyed seven months and again six years after they were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

Nearly three-quarters of the participants who met the criteria for genetic testing after diagnosis received it.

And about half who qualified during follow-up care said they were tested. 

The good news, according to the study, is that the majority of women who had a genetic variant talked to family members about their results.

The senior author says, “Our findings reinforce the need for novel approaches to genetic risk evaluation and testing in practice to target prevention and early detection strategies for their patients and their families.”

Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology

Author Affiliations: University of Michigan