What to Know About Your Ovarian Cancer Genes
- About 25% of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer have a genetic mutation
- Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations may benefit from drugs called PARP inhibitors
- Ovarian cancer gene mutations are also linked to breast cancer, colon cancer, and melanoma
- Genetic testing can help inform other family members’ medical decisions
"The most important thing for a woman who’s been newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer or tubal cancer to know is that it’s very important to get genetic testing, because almost 25% of women who have a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer will be found to have a genetic mutation," explains Dr. Karen Zempolich, gynecologic oncologist at St. Mark's Hospital in Salt Lake City.
Read MoreOpening Up New Treatment Avenues
Learning that you have a genetic mutation is not only important for determining your risk of ovarian and breast cancers, but it also gives your doctor the chance to use a whole new set of medicines against ovarian cancer that could improve your survival, Dr. Zempolich says.Normally when a strand of DNA is damaged, enzymes called PARPs rush in to fix the damage. New medicines called PARP inhibitors "help counteract that protective mechanism," she says. Cancer cells can't finish the repair process, so they stop growing and spreading.
PARP inhibitor drugs work best in women who have BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, because the cancer cells are already at a loss to repair themselves. Taking PARP inhibitors can extend the time before a woman's cancer comes back, and possibly prolong her survival.
Most recently, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) released new guidelines recommending PARP inhibitors be offered to women, with or without genetic mutations, who are newly diagnosed with stage III or IV ovarian cancer and have improved with chemotherapy.
Informing Family Medical Decisions
If a woman has a BRCA or other gene mutation, there may be a good chance that her family members carry it too, since these mutations are inherited. Families with BRCA mutations and multiple cases of ovarian and/or breast cancers are said to have a cancer predisposition syndrome called Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (HBOC).
Knowing their genetic status can inform important health decisions for everyone in the family. Women who test positive for genes linked to ovarian cancer may want to consider having prophylactic surgery, removing their ovaries and fallopian tubes to prevent cancer from developing in the future.
It's important for men to also consider their genetic risks. The gene mutations that are linked to ovarian cancer also increase the risk for breast cancer (which men can get too), as well as for colon cancer, melanoma, and upper GI tract cancers, Dr. Zempolich says.
Getting Tested
Once you've been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, your doctor will likely send you for genetic testing. Most insurance companies should cover the cost, Dr. Zempolich says.
If your doctor isn't sure whether you have a familial ovarian cancer syndrome, you can meet with a genetic counselor to determine what, if any, testing you need. The counselor can "help you decide whether or not that’s an important part of your journey with this cancer," she adds.
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