Moving towards population-based genetic risk prediction for ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer in UK women, and the leading cause of gynaecological cancer death. Five-year survival rates, of around 40%, have shown little improvement despite recent advances in cancer treatment. Mutations in the cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 confer lifetime risks of breast and ovarian cancer of up to 80% and 40% respectively. The traditional approach of using cancer family history to select patients for genetic testing is being challenged; up to 44% of BRCA mutation carriers do not have a significant family history. Recent research has shown that offering BRCA testing to all women with high grade non-mucinous ovarian cancer is an effective approach to identifying more BRCA carriers. Furthermore, there is an opportunity to prevent ovarian cancer if women at increased risk can be identified before developing the disease. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.