Mary Ellen always knew that her family history included cancer. Her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 50s and died in her 60s. Early-onset breast cancer, prostate cancer, and possible ovarian cancers were seen in aunts, uncles, and cousins. So, it was not...
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) provides guidelines to help determine who should have genetic testing for hereditary cancers and how individuals should be followed after testing. They recently published updates to these guidelines that we’ve...
On June 13, 2013, in the case of the Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, Inc., the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that human genes cannot be patented in the U.S. because DNA is a “product of nature.” The Court decided that...
October 2018 Update from Joanna Rudnick Twenty-eight years ago, Mary-Claire King discovered BRCA1 and its connection to familial breast cancer. Seventeen years ago, I learned I was BRCA1+. Ten years ago, my personal film on being BRCA+ and falling into the brave new...
It’s been three years since Angelina Jolie announced to the world she carries a BRCA1 mutation and had a prophylactic double mastectomy to lower her risks of developing breast cancer. Below genetic counselors reflect on the impact she has made by sharing her...