Frequently Asked Questions

Who should be referred for testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations?

The criteria for BRCA1/2 testing are still evolving; however, current guidelines include:

Breast or ovarian cancer in an individual who has a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer in two or more close relatives on the same side of the family
Individual or family member with ovarian cancer at any age and one or more family members with breast and/or ovarian cancer
Individual of Ashkenazi Jewish descent with breast or ovarian cancer who has a family history of one or more cases of breast or ovarian cancer at any age
Individual with breast cancer diagnosed before age 45
Individual with both breast and ovarian cancer, bilateral or multi-focal disease, or multiple primary tumors
A male individual with breast cancer
Individual with a family history of any of the above

Genetic Susceptibility to Breast and Ovarian Cancer: Assessment, Counseling and Testing Guidelines: Executive Summary. American College of Medical Genetics Foundation, with support from the New York Department of Health, 1999.