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Men With BRCA Gene Mutations Unaware of Cancer Risks
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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, called Daly's research "an important study" that "highlights what is a significant issue."
"I agree men need to know their family history -- not just their mother's and father's, but aunts, uncles and cousins," he said.
If men discover that the family includes many cases of breast cancer, especially at a young age, "they should be asking their doctors if they should be tested as well," Lichtenfeld said.
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So, which men should consider genetic counseling? If a man's family includes some relatives who have had breast or ovarian cancer before age 40, and tested positive for genetic mutations, for example, he should consider genetic counseling, said Steve Keiles, president of the National Society of Genetic Counselors.
He stressed that counseling should be the first step, followed by the decision whether actual testing is needed. "Maybe a consultation will relieve some anxiety," Keiles said.
Most major medical centers now have genetic counseling services, Daly said. For people who live in small towns, however, getting to a genetic counselor might require some travel, Lichtenfeld said.
More information
To learn more about genetic counseling, visit the National Society of Genetic Counselors.
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Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
Last updated 2/27/2009
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SOURCES: Mary Daly, M.D., Ph.D., director of the cancer prevention and control program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia; Steve Keiles, president of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Chicago; Len Lichtenfeld, M.D., deputy chief medical officer, American Cancer Society, Atlanta; February 2009, Journal of Genetic Counseling
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