St Vincent adds BRCA2 to testing service
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
St Vincent Medical Center's Los Angeles Oncologic Institute has extended its breast cancer gene diagnosis service to include the recently discovered breast and ovarian cancer gene, BRCA2. The unit, headed by Dr Ellen Knell, has been testing for BRCA1 mutations for six months. The service is available to women with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer and at least one living affected relative, and Ashkenazi Jewish women, who are at very high risk of inherited breast cancer. Affected relatives are needed because not all mutations change the function of the gene.