As healthcare providers, we have watched for years the devastating effects of the diagnosis from breast cancer. There had to be something better we could offer clients other than surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy. Finally, the breast cancer gene has been identified. Women and healthcare professionals are excited. It has long been recognized that breast cancer is often an inherited risk.
Family history is considered with high priority in all risk factor discussions.
The gene discovery was a ray of hope for all. However, the discovery, regretfully, will not impact our practice at the present time but many questions about the the announcement of the discovery will arise and need to be answered. Some of the answers we already know, but some questions need to be carefully evaluated by healthcare professionals and women. Only five percent of breast cancer patients diagnosed with breast cancer carry the BRCA1 inherited gene. It is estimated that approximately only 10 percent of all breast cancers are genetically caused.