Too Few Women Get Counseling Before Breast Cancer Gene Test: Study
Too Few Women Get Counseling Before Breast Cancer Gene Test: Study
By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Only about one-third of women receive genetic counseling before they undergo testing to see if they have a gene mutation that increases their risk of breast or ovarian cancer, a new study reports.
Such counseling is important prior to undergoing genetic testing for mutations of BRCA, a gene strongly linked to the risk of both cancers, the study authors said. And actress Angelina Jolie's revelations about discovering she had a BRCA mutation and deciding to have her breasts and ovaries removed has raised awareness about the importance of genetic tests and counseling.
In the study, patients who received genetic counseling beforehand displayed better knowledge of the process and possible results. And they reported more comfort heading into the test, according to the study results published online Oct. 1 in the journal JAMA Oncology.
"While there certainly are physicians who are capable of providing appropriate genetics counseling for their patients, there are many who are not, and many who admit they don't feel comfortable trying to provide such counseling," said senior study author Dr. Rebecca Sutphen. She is president and chief medical officer of InformedDNA, a national provider network of genetics specialists.
Not all experts agree with the importance of genetic counseling prior to testing, however.
An accompanying editorial in the journal questioned the value of pretest counseling, arguing that the emphasis should be placed on genetic counseling for women who have received a positive test for BRCA mutations, so they fully understand their medical options.
"I think it's perfectly reasonable that the surgeon should order the test directly. I don't see that, in 2015, genetic counselors add anything to the process," said editorial author Dr. Steven Narod, director of the familial breast cancer research unit at the Women's College Research Institute in Toronto. "If they have a mutation, they should see a genetic counselor. If they don't, I think it just slows down the process."
Narod also questioned the fact that the study was funded by the health insurer Aetna and conducted by researchers affiliated with InformedDNA.
HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Only about one-third of women receive genetic counseling before they undergo testing to see if they have a gene mutation that increases their risk of breast or ovarian cancer, a new study reports.
Such counseling is important prior to undergoing genetic testing for mutations of BRCA, a gene strongly linked to the risk of both cancers, the study authors said. And actress Angelina Jolie's revelations about discovering she had a BRCA mutation and deciding to have her breasts and ovaries removed has raised awareness about the importance of genetic tests and counseling.
In the study, patients who received genetic counseling beforehand displayed better knowledge of the process and possible results. And they reported more comfort heading into the test, according to the study results published online Oct. 1 in the journal JAMA Oncology.
"While there certainly are physicians who are capable of providing appropriate genetics counseling for their patients, there are many who are not, and many who admit they don't feel comfortable trying to provide such counseling," said senior study author Dr. Rebecca Sutphen. She is president and chief medical officer of InformedDNA, a national provider network of genetics specialists.
Not all experts agree with the importance of genetic counseling prior to testing, however.
An accompanying editorial in the journal questioned the value of pretest counseling, arguing that the emphasis should be placed on genetic counseling for women who have received a positive test for BRCA mutations, so they fully understand their medical options.
"I think it's perfectly reasonable that the surgeon should order the test directly. I don't see that, in 2015, genetic counselors add anything to the process," said editorial author Dr. Steven Narod, director of the familial breast cancer research unit at the Women's College Research Institute in Toronto. "If they have a mutation, they should see a genetic counselor. If they don't, I think it just slows down the process."
Narod also questioned the fact that the study was funded by the health insurer Aetna and conducted by researchers affiliated with InformedDNA.
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