United States: A recent study done by some researchers that reveals many breast cancer patients eligible for genetic testing aren’t receiving it, potentially hindering effective treatment.
Researchers found that only 75 percent of the eligible patients underwent testing post-diagnosis, and slightly over half received testing during follow-up care.
Advocacy for Streamlined Guidelines and Implementation
Lead researcher Dr. Steven Katz from the University of Michigan advocates for simplified guidelines to improve testing access and clinical impact, stressing the need for broader implementation in breast cancer care to optimize treatment outcomes.
Though there are some genetic mutations can increase a woman’s risk for the breast cancer and the American Cancer Society says the best-known are BRCA gene mutations which cause 5% to 10% of the breast cancers and for which the specific treatments have been specifically developed.
Genetic Testing Vital for Treatment and Family Risk
Genetic tests can help guide treatment, as well as follow-up care and screening, researchers said. The results can also be used to warn other family members of potential increased risk for cancer.
For this study, researchers surveyed more than 1,400 women at seven months and at six years after they were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
The team found many women aren’t getting the gene testing for which they’re eligible, both at diagnosis and following treatment.
“Genetic risk evaluation and testing can fall through the cracks during survivorship as patients’ needs for ongoing treatments, managing the side effects of treatments and monitoring for recurrence or progression grow,” senior researcher Lauren Wallner who is , an associate professor of internal medicine and epidemiology at Michigan, said in a university news release.
At the same time it’s about the third of the patients who generally genetic testing wouldn’t be recommended got it anyway shows the results.
Also there was some good news among those who got tested nearly two third who had a genetic variant reached out to the family members to talk about their results, said the researchers.