Dr. Brown on Germline and Somatic Testing in Ovarian Cancer

Jubilee Brown, MD, professor of gynecologic oncology, associate director of Gynecologic Oncology, Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, discusses germline and somatic testing in ovarian cancer.

Germline testing may identify inherited mutations such as BRCA1/2, explains Brown. Testing may also reveal rarer mutations that confer increased risk of other cancers and the need for surveillance.

Family members of patients with inherited mutations should also be considered for germline testing to potentially prevent future cancers.

Somatic testing can identify a wider range of mutations compared with germline testing. These mutations, which occur within the tumor, may be less common that germline mutations, says Brown.

Rare ovarian cancers may harbor actionable germline or somatic mutations that can be targeted with therapy, concludes Brown.