Should young women be genetically tested for breast cancer in order to more clearly predict a future diagnosis

Genetic testing for breast cancer looks for two mutated genes. Women who have one of these two mutated genes are 60-80% more likely to develop breast cancer in their lives.

YES BECAUSE IN MOST CASES THEY SOON DEVELOP CANCER SO IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO GE CHECKED OFTEN....

yes so that they can plan they furture

I wish that doctors would test women for this in their teens.

The only problem with testing for that sort of thing, is insurance companys can refuse to pay for pre-diagnosed conditions. So by testing for it then, people could end up not being covered for treatment later. Something needs to be done about insurance coverage for preventative messures before we adopt that type of screening.

Well, first there is an insurance issue there. Companies will do whatever they can to get out of paying. Sad, but true. If you prediagnose breast cancer, when it does show up, the insurance is gonna say 'well, you knew this was gonna happen 10 yrs ago, you should have saved your money' and refuse to pay.

Also, I dont have the physical reference, but the breast cancer gene only shows up in a small portion of patients. This would lead ppl to say, oh,well I dont have the gene, so I dont need to be checked. To the limits of todays science, this is not true.

They should. They should also start encouraging younger women to have mammograms.

It could help you to be aware of what is going on. The one concern I have about doing this is that insurance companies could possibly use this knowledge to not pay for medical care and call it pre-existing. Of course not all insurance companies will do this, however, I do see quite a few unethical insurance companies who want the premiums but find a way to not pay out.

If you have a significant family history of breast and ovarian cancer, it may be good to get tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. It may give you an idea of what sort of preventative measures to take so the individual does not develop cancer, such as removing the ovaries and breasts. It may also let you know if an individual is at risk to passing on the same mutation to their children. PGD-IVF technologies are available to prevent from passing it on to future children. However, check health and life insurance options before you do testing, as others have said.

The insurance companies want that information so they can refuse to insure them.

Yes, undoubtedly.