title: Evolution of cancer risk assessment and counseling related to psychological, financial and legal implications.
abstract: Cancer risk assessment, genetic counseling and genetic testing have experienced advances and changes over the past two decades due to improved technology, legal movements to protect those at an increased risk for cancer due to genetics, as well as advances in detection, prevention and treatment. This brief article will provide a summary of these advances over three eras of cancer genetics: pre-discovery of the more common high impact genes, namely BRCA1/BRCA2 and the mismatch repair genes associated with Lynch syndrome; the time during which the genes were being discovered; and current day.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA. csnyder@creighton.edu.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Snyder
mesh_terms: D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D024682:BRCA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D003123:Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D053843:DNA Mismatch Repair / Q000235:genetics; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology / Q000639:trends*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends*; D061325:Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D019313:BRCA1 Protein; C492913:BRCA1 protein, human; D024682:BRCA2 Protein; C551750:BRCA2 protein, human; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes
keywords: Cancer genetics; Genetic counseling; Genetic testing; Hereditary breast–ovarian cancer; Hereditary cancer; Lynch syndrome