HBOC (Hereditary Breast And Ovarian Cancer)

Having one gynecologic cancer does not increase your risk of having other types of gynecologic cancer. However, women with a hereditary cancer syndrome are at increased risk of developing a gynecologic cancer. These syndromes include Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) caused by a BRCA mutation as well as Lynch syndrome, also called hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Women with HBOC syndrome have markedly elevated risks of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, with a lifetime risk of breast cancer of 50 to 85 percent and a 15 to 40 percent chance of developing ovarian cancer. There is also an increased risk of a second breast cancer diagnosis.

Lynch syndrome is associated with cancer diagnosis at an early age and the development of multiple cancer types, particularly colon and endometrial cancer. Until recently, the majority of attention and research related to Lynch syndrome has focused on colorectal cancer. However, women with Lynch syndrome have a 27 to 71% risk of endometrial cancer, which equals or exceeds their risk of colorectal cancer. This is significantly higher than the 3% risk of endometrial cancer in the general population. In addition, women with Lynch syndrome have a 8-11% risk of ovarian cancer, compared with 1.5% in the general population. The management of endometrial and ovarian cancer risks in women with HBOC or Lynch syndrome includes surveillance, chemoprevention and risk-reducing surgery.

According to the American society of Clinical Oncology testing is recommended if:

1. Women have more that two first-degree relatives with breast cancer or ovarian cancer, diagnosed at any age.

2. Those with more than three first-degree relatives diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 50.

3. Those with two sister who have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer before the age of 50.

4. Women who have a first-degree relative who has had two breast cancers, two ovarian cancers or or breast and ovarian cancer.

If you you questions about testing you can make an appointment with a genetic counselor and they can help you decide if testing is appropriate for you. I am a breast cancer survivor and when I asked a counselor if she thought I should be tested she told me that it would really not apply to me....most (80 - 85%) of breast cancers are "sporadic" meaning that they are not caused by these genes.