Genetic Testing

Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Test for Select BRCA Mutations Gets FDA Nod
March 22, 2018The US FDA has approved a consumer test that may indicate increased breast and ovarian cancer risk in some individuals.

Awareness of Genomic Risk for Melanoma May Increase Conversations With Family, Health Care Providers
August 11, 2017Awareness of personal genetic risk for melanoma may prompt patients to discuss cancer risk with family and health care professionals, and make lifestyle changes.

Bilateral Mastectomy Without Proper Genetic Counseling
July 24, 2017Many women with breast cancer with genetic variants of uncertain significance (VUS) undergo testing and bilateral mastectomy without receiving genetic counseling.

Counseling Regarding Genetic Testing in Breast Cancer Lacking, Yet Many Still Undergo BLM
July 07, 2017Many women with breast cancer with genetic VUS undergo testing and bilateral mastectomy (BLM) without ever receiving genetic counseling.

Personalized Medicine and the Role of the Oncology Navigator
June 15, 2017As molecular testing becomes the standard of care for many cancers, nurse navigators have an important role to play ensuring molecular testing of suitable patients, providing patient education, and managing of patient expectations.

Better Understanding of Prostate Cancer Genetic Test Results Needed
June 08, 2017Some men who undergo multigene testing for inherited prostate cancer misinterpret findings of variants of uncertain significance.

Novel Approach Increases Breast, Ovarian Cancer Genetic Screening
June 06, 2017A questionnaire added to intake forms at a breast cancer imaging center identified women with BRCA mutations who might otherwise have been missed.

Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals that 12% of Childhood Cancer Survivors Have Mutations in Genes that Increase Cancer Risk
April 19, 2017Whole genome sequencing of more than 3000 survivors of childhood cancers demonstrates the value of genetic testing for potential second cancers in this population.

Noninvasive 2-Gene Test Helps Distinguish Melanoma From Nonmelanoma
April 14, 2017Two-gene pigmented lesion test classifies skin lesions as melanoma or nonmelanoma, helping with diagnostic challenges faced with the visual image and pattern recognition approach.

Outcomes Improved When Targeted Cancer Therapies Based on Multigene Panel
April 07, 2017Progression-free survival rates are higher in patients treated with targeted therapies based on results of multigene panel tests.

Trends in BRCA Mutation Testing Shifting Toward Unaffected Women
April 05, 2017Genetic testing for BRCA gene mutation is increasingly undertaken by women unaffected by breast and/or ovarian cancers.

Comparing Popular Commercial Cancer Gene Tests Yield Different Results
December 21, 2016A head-to-head comparison of two commercial gene sequencing tests yielded differing results.

Novel Pathway Improves Access to Genetic Testing for Women With Ovarian Cancer
August 12, 2016Rapid, robust, and affordable genetic testing for patients with ovarian cancer that allows a much larger portion of patients to benefit from personalized cancer management and their relatives to benefit from preventive strategies can be achieved.

Study Finds Racial Disparities in Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk Management
June 07, 2016Disparities in cancer risk management among BRCA carriers across a diverse sample of young black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors underscores that "the benefit from genetic testing comes from acting on the test results," not just the testing itself, a study presented at the ASCO 2016 Annual Meeting concluded.

Participants Understand Implications of Multiplex Gene Testing for Inherited Cancer Risk
June 07, 2016Multiplex gene testing of diverse patients has found that patients who test positive advise relatives to test, "suggesting that participants understood the implications of test results," according to results of a planned interim analysis of a prospective trial presented at the ASCO 2016 Annual Meeting.

Large Germline Databases Needed to Mitigate Ethnic Disparities
June 07, 2016"In the absence of patient-matched germline data, large germline databases are required in analysis workflows to minimize false positive mutation calling and mitigate ethnic disparities," a study presented at the ASCO 2016 Annual Meeting concluded.

Telephone Disclosure of Genetic Tests for Cancer Susceptibility Can Increase Satisfaction
June 07, 2016Results showed that telephone disclosure was not worse than in-person disclosure for general and state anxiety.
No Clinical Benefit to Expanding Gene Panel Beyond Ovarian and Breast Cancer Genes in High-risk Women
May 20, 2016Expanding a panel of tested genes beyond the known breast and ovarian cancer-specific genes in patients with breast and ovarian cancer did not confer any clinical benefit.

Gene Test Identifies Patients With Breast cancer That Do Not Need Chemotherapy
March 11, 2016An analysis of test results can help women who won't benefit from additional treatment avoid potential side effects.
Genetic Testing for BRCA Gene Mutations Increasing Among Younger Women With Breast Cancer
March 02, 2016Among women age 40 years or younger, rates of genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations have increased, according to a recent study.
Young patients with HER2+ breast cancer and no family history have low risk of carrying high risk genes
December 29, 2015A recent study examined genetic susceptibility in younger patients diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer.
Stool DNA Test Is Proven an Accurate Screen for Colorectal Cancer in a High-Risk Population
November 17, 2015A stool DNA test for colorectal cancer was found to be an accurate noninvasive screening option for Alaska Native people, a population with one of the highest rates of colorectal cancer in the world, according to a recent study.

Blood Test Can Guide Treatment Sequencing for Pancreatic Cancer
November 16, 2015A widely available, inexpensive blood test can predict outcomes and guide treatment in pancreatic cancer; however, only 1 in 5 US patients with the disease have the blood test.
Genetic Variants Indicate 10-fold Increased Risk of Testicular Cancer
November 10, 2015A new study has uncovered four new genetic variants associated with increased risk of testicular cancer. Testing for these and all 21 previously identified variants using genetic sequencing identified men at higher risk of testicular cancer.
Use of chemotherapy is inverse to disease risk in patients with breast cancer when genetic assay is used
September 23, 2015Use of the 21-gene recurrence test score was associated with lower chemotherapy use in high-risk patients and greater use of chemotherapy in low-risk patients compared with not using the test score among a large group of Medicare beneficiaries, according to a recent investigation.
Multigene panel tests may identify less common harmful mutations in moderate-risk genes
August 24, 2015Multigene testing of women negative for BRCA1 and BRCA2 uncovered other harmful genetic mutations.
Personal genome diagnostics study shows limitations of tumor-only sequencing for cancer
May 14, 2015New research indicates that many genetic alterations identified using tumor-only sequencing are not actually associated with the cancer, but instead reflect inherited germline mutations already present in the normal cells of the person.
Genetic testing should be accessible to all women with ovarian cancer
May 13, 2015Women with ovarian cancer should be tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, regardless of their family history.
Treatment for advanced lung cancer often initiated without genetic testing results
May 06, 2015Near one quarter of patients with advanced lung cancer in Europe, Asia, and the United States are not receiving EGFR test results before being started on treatment, researchers found.
One-third of women with breast cancer are concerned about genetic risk
May 01, 2015For many women with breast cancer, there is concern about the genetic risk of developing other cancers themselves or of a loved one developing cancer.
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