Institute of Medical and Human Genetics 

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Links am Tisch sitzt eine Ärztin im weißen Kittel, ihr Notebook betrachtend. Rechts am Tisch ein junges Paar. Der Mann spricht mit der Ärztin.

Consulation familial breast and ovarian cancer

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Familiar breast cancer and ovarian cancer

Breast cancer(Mammacarcinom) is the most common type of cancer in women with approximately one in ten women being affected at some stage in their life. The majority of these diseases occur sporadically, only approx. 5 to maximum 10% of the diseases can traced back to single genetic changes and therefore seem piled up in families. These genetic changes can also be connected with an increased risk for the appearance of ovarian cancer (Ovarialcarcinom).

The suspicion of a hereditary cause of breast cancer cannot be justified with an individual case , but in consideration of the family history.

Who can participate in this program?

  • Families with three or more affected persons, regardless of age.
  • Families with two affected persons, of it at least one diseased before the age of 51
  • Families with one affected person, diseased before the age of 36
  • Families with a women with breast cancer on both sides, first disease before the age of 51
  • Families with a women with breast cancer and a women with ovarian cancer, regardless of age
  • Families with a man with breast cancer and a women with breast or ovarian cancer
  • Families with two or more persons with ovarian cancer

How can you prepare for the consultation?

Before the conversation it is of vital importance that anyone seeking advice collects detailed information about cancer diseases that appeared in the family, in particular breast cancer and ovarian cancer. HereThe disease age of the affected family member plays an importand role.

What can you expect from a genetic consultation?

In the human-genetic consultation a detailed family tree is provided and the genetic aspects of breast cancer and ovarian cancer are discussed. Depending on family history and the individual situation the possibilities of a genetic testing will be discussed. Such a test is voluntary and carried out only after a time for consideration of at least four weeks after the human-genetic consultation.

The aim of the human-genetic consultation is to give an assessment of the individual disease risk and to allow, to take up an early diagnosis adapted on the individual situation. The early diagnosis is carried out in the interdisciplinary breast centre of the Charité, campus Mitte, depending on the individual situation. Furthermore the consultation should allow the advice-seeking persons to make their own decision for or against a molecular-genetic investigation in the family on the basis of the given information.