{"id":1069,"date":"2020-04-19T10:24:37","date_gmt":"2020-04-19T10:24:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/?p=1069"},"modified":"2025-11-18T15:07:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T15:07:52","slug":"breast-cancer-risk-genetic-counseling-and-testing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toplinemd.com\/breast-care-center-of-miami\/blog\/breast-cancer-risk-genetic-counseling-and-testing\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding What Happens During Genetic Counseling"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you have a family history of breast cancer? You may want to consider making an appointment with your doctor to get genetic counseling for breast cancer. The average woman has a 13% chance of developing breast cancer. Over 270,000 new cases of breast cancer surgeon<\/a> are expected to develop this year, according to the American Cancer Society. Although deaths from breast cancer have decreased since 2007, it is still the second leading cause of death among women. For those who are predisposed to developing breast cancer, those risks are much higher.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What Is Breast Cancer Counseling and What Is the Role of a Genetic Counselor<\/b><\/h2>\n

Women whose family history indicates breast cancer may inherit gene mutations making them more likely to develop it. Genetic counseling for breast cancer includes a method of testing meant to identify these mutations and provide guidance on the next steps to prevention. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most important and deadly mutations for women. Those who have it are diagnosed with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Syndrome. Both men and women can develop breast cancer but the BRCA1 gene greatly increases the risk of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, and others. Men with the BRCA1 are also at high risk but still lower than women. They may develop prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and other cancers. It\u2019s important to note that most women do not inherit the mutation but it is more likely in a family with a history of breast cancer. Inheriting the gene mutation is more likely if a close relative had it, multiple family members were affected, and if they were young when they developed it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Your doctor will use a number of risk assessment tools in the form of mathematical models to calculate your risk of a gene mutation. They may also refer you to another medical professional for breast cancer genetic counseling. These individuals are highly trained in genetic counseling and will inform you of what to expect during the session. The role of a genetic counselor is to help families identify the possible risk of a genetic condition by analyzing family history and patterns of inheritance. They are also trained to calculate the likelihood of an occurrence. Not all women with breast cancer need genetic counseling but the likelihood of receiving breast cancer genetic counseling is higher if:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n