How Accurate is Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer?
The answer to ‘How accurate is genetic testing for breast cancer?” depends upon which genetic test and what that test is looking to detect in relation to cancer.
For instance, the Hereditary Cancer Test from Test for Cancer is designed to detect genetic mutations in certain genes that are known to increase the risk of getting certain cancers.
The most well-known genes associated with breast cancer are BRCA1 and BRCA2. Mutations in these genes can significantly elevate a woman’s risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers.
But it doesn’t mean that a person with these genes will ever develop breast cancer, or any other type of cancer associated with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
A far more meaningful genetic test would be one that could detect when a person is cancer-free or when cancer is present. The only test that can detect absence or presence of cancer is HrC Genomics.
HrC Genomics is a simple blood test which can detect the absence or presence of cancer with high accuracy and reliability.
When testing for cancer high specificity, the ability to correctly identify those who do not have cancer, and high sensitivity, the ability to correctly identify those who do have cancer, is of particular importance. The specificity and sensitivity of HrC Genomics is more than 90%.
Also of great importance is the ability to detect the disease when it is at an early stage i.e., Stage 1 or before. HrC Genomics can detect the presence of cancer from point of initiation, that is prior to symptoms and tumour development. HrC Genomics detects the presence of cancer earlier than any other known technology.
Furthermore, with HrC Genomics, the test is not cancer specific. Conceptually, HrC Genomics can detect all the different types and sub-types of cancer. One blood test for all cancers.
Only requiring a 12ml sample of blood, samples for HrC Genomics can be collected in a non-invasive and harmless manner, making it a lot less intrusive and uncomfortable than a mammogram. It is also quicker to provide a blood sample than attending a breast screening facility.
In conclusion, while the Hereditary Cancer Test for breast cancer offers significant insights into individual risks associated with hereditary mutations like BRCA1 and BRCA2, the test does not answer the very basic question of “is cancer present or not?”
Therefore, if you are going to do a genetic test for breast cancer, take the right test, HrC Genomics, and get the right result.
