Genetic Risk Assessment and BRCA Mutation Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Susceptibility

This topic is in the process of being updated. Please go to the Update in Progress section to see the latest documents available.

This topic page summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations on genetic risk assessment and BRCA mutation testing for breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility.

Current Recommendation

Release Date: September 2005

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against routine referral for genetic counseling or routine breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA) testing for women whose family history is not associated with an increased risk for deleterious mutations in breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) or breast cancer susceptibility gene 2 (BRCA2).
Grade: D Recommendation.
The USPSTF recommends that women whose family history is associated with an increased risk for deleterious mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes be referred for genetic counseling and evaluation for BRCA testing.
Grade: B Recommendation.

Supporting Documents

Recommendation Statement (PDF File, 220 KB; PDF Help)

Evidence Review (PDF File, 885 KB; PDF Help)

Evidence Synthesis (PDF File, 3.6 MB; PDF Help)

Update in Progress

In an effort to make the USPSTF recommendations clearer and its processes more transparent, the Task Force is sharing drafts of many of its documents for public comment, including draft Research Plans and draft Recommendation Statements. As a result, the final Recommendation Statement is not yet available.

Supporting Documents

Research Plan

USPSTF members work with researchers from an independent Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) to create a Research Plan that guides the systematic review of the evidence. The Research Plan consists of an analytic framework, key questions, and a literature search strategy or research approach.

Research Plan	Public Comment Period
Draft Research Plan for Public Comment	February 28–March 27, 2012

Current as of March 2012

Internet Citation:

Genetic Risk Assessment and BRCA Mutation Testing for Breast and Ovarian Cancer Susceptibility, Topic Page. September 2005. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspsbrgen.htm