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Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer, except for cancers of the skin, and the second most common cause of cancer death for American women. Each year, more than 180,000 women learn they have a diagnosis of breast cancer. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of women with breast cancer have a hereditary form of the disease. It is believed that inherited alterations (called mutations) in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are involved in 30 to 70 percent of all inherited cases of breast cancer; the likelihood is highest in families with one or more cases of ovarian cancer. Since the vast majority of breast cancer cases are not due to inherited alterations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, most women would not benefit from genetic testing. For men and women with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer, genetic testing may indicate whether they have an increased chance of developing breast cancer. There are, however, many things to think about before getting tested. A person who is considering genetic testing should speak with a professional trained in genetics before deciding whether to be tested. |
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