This Is Why Genetic Testing Is Important for Ovarian Cancer Patients

If someone is a mutation carrier, they may also be at increased risk for other malignancies like pancreatic or colon cancer, says Dimitrova. That's important information not just for patients but for their family members too, who may want to get tested themselves. In the U.S., 90 percent of people who carry a BRCA gene mutation aren't aware of it until someone in their family gets cancer.

If a family member is found to be a mutation carrier but is currently cancer-free, they have several options. If a woman tests positive for a BRCA gene mutation, for instance, she may be advised to undergo surgery to remove both of her ovaries and her uterus to eliminate her risk of ovarian cancer. The typical recommendation is to get a bilateral oophorectomy and hysterectomy ideally after childbearing years, usually between ages 40 and 45.

In cases where a woman chooses not to have surgery, perhaps because she’s still planning to have kids, there are ways to look out for ovarian cancer, such as a CA 125 blood test or regular transvaginal ultrasounds. "Oral contraceptives have also been shown to decrease the risk of developing ovarian cancer," Dimitrova says. It's important to note that these tests are not foolproof; they don't pick up every ovarian cancer, which is part of the reason why the disease is often diagnosed at a late stage.

Men can also inherit a BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 mutation and an increased risk for certain cancers. Men with BRCA mutations have a higher than average lifetime risk for developing breast and prostate cancer. Their children have a 50 percent chance of carrying the same gene mutation, and the associated cancer risk.

Genetic testing after an ovarian cancer diagnosis can help your oncologist determine whether certain treatments may be right for your specific cancerespecially the promising family of PARP inhibitors, which work by preventing cancer cells from repairing their own DNA after chemotherapy. PARP inhibitors have been found to extend life for women at all stages of cancer treatment. Studies have shown they’re particularly effective in women with the BRCA gene. The PARP inhibitors olaparib (known by its brand name, Lynparza) and niraparib (brand name Zejula) are now approved to treat advanced ovarian cancer in the first-line setting, meaning before an initial round of chemotherapy.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved niraparib (brand name ZEJULA) for almost all women regardless of whether they have the BRCA mutation, as part of an initial course of treatment, or what’s called front-line treatment.

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.

If you're considering genetic testing, ask your relatives if they know of any family members who’ve had breast or ovarian cancer. A family history can indicate hereditary BRCA mutations, though someone can still carry a BRCA mutation without a family history of cancer.

Knowing your family medical history is an important part of taking charge of your health. It's important to keep this information up to date, and share it with your primary care doctor or other healthcare professionals regularly.

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