Genetic susceptibility testing : A therapeutic illusion?

✍ Scribed by Tovia G. Freedman

• Book ID: 101230554
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 47 KB
• Volume: 79
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0142(19970601)79:11<2063::aid-cncr1>3.0.co;2-q

✦ Synopsis

Ms. A., age 25 years, is seeking genetic testing on the counsel of her doctor because the doctor wants assurance that the next round of infertility drugs will not put her at risk for ovarian cancer. Ms. A wants a baby -and the drugs.

Mrs. B., age 42 years, the mother of twins age 2 years, wants a hysterectomy and oophorectomy because her sister died of late stage ovarian cancer. Her insurance company will not pay unless she tests positive for BRCA1.

Dr. C. has had breast cancer and she wants her daughter, age 18 years, to agree to testing so she can be ''protected from getting cancer.'' Her daughter does not want this information because she does not know what she would do with it. She says, ''I want to have a life first.'' See reply to counterpoint on page 2066 and the unfolding of new and compelling genetic information and the referenced original article on pages 2219-28, mapping of the genome, 9,10 scientists have built on the prognosisthis issue.