Dr. Hughes on Genetic Testing in Breast Cancer

Kevin Hughes, MD, medical director, Bermuda Cancer Genetics and Risk Assessment Clinic, co-director, Avon Breast Evaluation Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, and associate professor of surgery, Harvard Medical School, discusses the role of genetic testing in breast cancer.

Although genetic testing is becoming more prevalent across oncology, it is not being performed enough, says Hughes.

Women with breast cancer who harbor an actionable genetic aberration are not often aware of their mutational status prior to testing. If these women aren’t tested, they may not receive optimal therapy, explains Hughes.

Now, genetic counselors, as well as those with genetics training, are able to perform these tests in an effort to make genetic testing more widespread says Hughes.

Additionally, increasing the efficiency of genetic consultations can have lasting implications on treatment for a greater number of patients, explains Hughes.

Actionable mutations are complex and are associated with varying degrees of risk. Utilizing resources such as ASK2ME™, which can help calculate the risk of cancers associated with genetic mutations, may expand the field of genetic testing, concludes Hughes.

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