title: Hereditary cancer risk assessment: essential tools for a better approach.
abstract: Hereditary cancer risk assessment (HCRA) is a multidisciplinary process of estimating probabilities of germline mutations in cancer susceptibility genes and assessing empiric risks of cancer, based on personal and family history. It includes genetic counseling, testing and management of at-risk individuals so that they can make well-informed choices about cancer surveillance, surgical treatment and chemopreventive measures, including biomolecular cancer therapies. Providing patients and family members with an appropriate HCRA will contribute to a better process of making decisions about their personal and family risks of cancer. Following individuals at high risk through screening protocols, reassuring those at low risk, and referring those at increased risk of hereditary cancer to a cancer genetics center may be the best suitable approach of HCRA.
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Av, Dr, Arnaldo, 251, Cerqueira César, São Paulo, Brazil. israel.gomy@icesp.org.br.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gomy
authors.forename: Maria Del Pilar
authors.initials: Mdel P
authors.lastname: Estevez Diz