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Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Would you test your child for the cancer gene?
A debate is growing whether young children and teens should be tested for the breast cancer gene. Is it beneficial to know at a young age? Is it too much for a kid/teen to handle?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Across the country more and more women are being tested for the gene mutation that gives them a higher risk of contracting breast cancer. Now, The Associated Press reports, parents are debating whether they should be testing their kids/teens as well.
Here’s the link to the story and here are some highlights of the debate:
Marilynn Marchione reports:
“About 100,000 tests for breast cancer gene mutations were done last year, double the number in 2005. The trend may grow even more because of widening insurance coverage and a new law banning genetic discrimination.”
“Medical experts advise against such testing before age 25, saying that little can be done to prevent or screen for breast or ovarian cancer until then, so the knowledge would only cause needless worry.”
“However, new studies and interviews by The Associated Press show that many people who have BRCA gene mutations — and even more of their offspring — disagree. …”
“Women with a faulty gene have a three to seven times greater risk of developing breast cancer and a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Men have more risk of prostate, pancreatic and other types of cancer….”
“To lower risk, women can consider anti-estrogen drugs or having their breasts or ovaries removed. But these drastic measures are not advised for very young women. Even mammograms are not advised till age 25, because cancer is rare before then….”
“The rule is, do no harm — test only if you can offer something that will help,” said Mary-Claire King, the University of Washington scientist who in 1990 discovered the first breast cancer predisposition gene, BRCA-1.”
In some cases the testing lead to teens making changes to help prevent the cancer such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol or avoiding birth control pills. However, sometimes, especially when the patient wasn’t properly counseled, it can cause the teen to make some extreme decisions.
“… Jennifer Scalia Wilbur, a counselor at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, R.I., told of a 19-year-old who had testing without counseling and now wants to remove her breasts and not have children.”
What do you think : Is it beneficial to test young kids for the cancer gene? What about teens? Would you tell them the results? Would you be more inclined if you had already tested for the gene?
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