A Laboratory Guide to Hereditary Cancer Testing.

A clinical scenario: A 63 year old man is diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of prostate. Genomic profiling of his tumor reveals a truncating mutation in the BRCA2 gene, and he is deemed eligible for PARP inhibitor treatment based on this finding. The laboratory also recommends genetic counseling and potential germline testing to determine whether the BRCA2 gene alteration is inherited.

Why do Physicians and Patients Seek Hereditary Cancer Testing?