Second Chances

  Hamilton Health Sciences genetic testing labs indicate that the general population of women has a 12% or 1-8 women chance of sustaining breast cancer before they are 80 years old. A woman who has tested positive for RAD51C gene mutation jumps to a 17-30% chance of sustaining breast cancer before they are 80. The general population of women has a 1.3% chance of testing positive for ovarian cancer before they are 80 years old. A woman who has tested positive for RAD51C gene mutation jumps to 10-15% risk of testing positive for ovarian cancer before they are 80.

Hamilton Health Sciences genetics team offers the following suggestions for women who have tested positive for RAD51C: Consideration of risk-reducing mastectomy Recommendation of risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes) Consider risk-reducing agents/chemoprevention Consider the use of contraceptive pills Unlike breast cancer, ovarian cancer is very difficult to detect early and available screening tests are not effective at detecting ovarian cancer early when it is most treatable.  Therefore, it is recommended that women with a pathogenic variant of the RAD51C gene consider surgery to preventively remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes, ideally between the ages of 45-50.