8 responses to “Ovarian cancer and hereditary predisposition”

  1. I have always screened for this by history–breast and ovarian CA. Have sent many women to genetic screening with positive history. Was not aware of referrals for high grade serous cancer of ovary not requiring substantive family history. I always did have questions about families with few female members or small families. What about adopted out women with no history?

  2. David, if a patient has High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer, then no family history details are required to qualify for BRCA 1 and 2 testing. All such cases are eligible for testing and should be referred to the Hereditary Cancer Program at the BCCA. Adopted patients would, thus, qualify if they have a diagnosis of this disease. Thanks for your diligence in identifying at risk patients and families.

  3. What about to do about patients without high grade serous carcinoma of the ovary?

    (anacronyms for those of us less familiar with the terminology is a bit of an irritation)

  4. just wonder what is the BCCA comment about referral all patients to HCP

  5. What about breast ca diagnosed > 65 in one mat aunt, uterine ca in 2nd aunt > 50 (obesity) with colon and lung ca in that same, second aunt when > 75, ovarian ca in 3rd maternal aunt > 75? Also cousin with uterine ca > 60 (obesity) cousin with lung ca, smoker age 58? These two related to aunt #3.
    4th aunt, 5th aunt = no ca.

    The daughters of the female with ovarian ca (ie third aunt) were not suggested to have testing, so then how about the nieces (my pt) of 1st and 2nd affected aunts verses the nieces of the 4th and 5th?

  6. Cheryl, at the present time the Hereditary Cancer Program will review and discuss testing with any woman having ovarian cancer that is not of the mucinous subtype. That said, all the data demonstrate that it is the women who have High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer that are the ones at risk of being BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers. The other histologies (eg, endometrioid, clear cell, low grade serous, mucinous) are typically not associated with BRCA hereditary genetic mutations . However, there can be some confusion in the histologic classification (for example, less experienced pathologists may call a cancer endometrioid, when it is actually High Grade Serous), so for this reason the Hereditary Cancer Program has agreed to review their cases. Sometimes, patients may have a cancer that is not associated with BRCA mutations, but a family history that suggests the presence of a germline mutation. Such a family should be referred. It is an evolving story, and a complex one, so if unsure, a referral can simply be made and the program will follow up accordingly.

  7. Good review. My daughters have this family hx and are often more up to date than I am . The cancer agency counselling is so so helpful for their patients. I have heard this over and over.

  8. I need to read theses update on a regular basis because you do not see these patients every day. Thank You

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