BRCA Genetic Testing in African-American Women
Earlier this week, I posted Lauren Cahn’s personal experience with genetic testing for the cancer gene BRCA. This week, the Journal of the American Medical Association published research from Dr. Olufunmilayo Olopade’s lab at the University of Chicago. It’s the first study to examine the prevalence of BRCA gene mutations in African-American women.
Dr. Olopade screened 43 African-American women with breast cancer and a known family history and found that 28 percent had mutations in either the BRCA1 or the BRCA2 gene. While this percentage is significantly lower than the the 69 percent of Ashkenazi Jewish families who carry the deleterious mutations, carriers still face a 70 percent lifetime risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer.
“Genetic testing is important for health,” said Olopade, who was just awarded a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant. “Very few African-American women have been tested. Yet, when we do the analysis, these families benefit from testing.”
One of the obstacles for people seeking genetic testing is cost. Genetic testing for the BRCA mutations costs around $3,000, and not all insurance companies cover the technology.
Newsday.com, October 19, 2005
