Breast Cancer Testing Guidelines Outdated, Study Says

By Susan Scutti, CNN (CNN) — The current guidelines for genetic testing of breast cancer patients limit the number of women who can get tested. Because of these restrictions, these tests miss as many patients with hereditary cancers as they find, according to a study published Monday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. “Unfortunately, insurance companies pay attention to these guidelines,” said Dr. Peter Beitsch, co-author of the study and a cancer surgeon practicing in Texas. Insurance companies and other payers reimburse genetic testing — or not — based on the guidelines. The result: Patients without genetic test results might not receive the appropriate treatment for their cancer, which could be a matter of life or death. Approximately 330,000 patients are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the United States and of these cases, an estimated 10% are likely due to hereditary causes, according to Beitsch. The guidelines are two decades old The guidelines for the genetic testing of breast cancer patients were established about 20 years ago by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a nonprofit alliance of 28 cancer centers dedicated to improving patient care, explained Beitsch, who is a co-founder of the TME Breast Care Network, a nonprofit focused exclusively on advancing treatment for breast cancer patients. “Back then we tested for two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA 2,” said Beitsch. BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are tumor suppressor ge...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health News Breast Cancer CNN Source Type: news