Genetic counseling and clinical management of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients at genetic risk for BRCA germline mutations: perspective of a surgical oncologist

Abstract

Women with a family history of breast cancer who are diagnosed with breast cancer are often counseled to undergo prophylactic mastectomy as part of their treatment for breast cancer. The majority of such individuals make these decisions in haste and without appropriate genetic counseling or testing. Most of them when tested for BRCA or other established mutations find that they are not mutation carriers. In retrospect, this realization leads many to question the wisdom of their prophylactic surgery which is often associated with complications and quality of life problems which they never envisioned. We have designed an algorithm for the management of these patients which minimizes these lifelong problems.