Genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 in the Province of Ontario

Variant classification changes over time in the clinical molecular diagnostic laboratory setting

BACKGROUND

Variant classification in the setting of germline genetic testing is necessary for patients and their families to receive proper care. Variants are classified as pathogenic (P), likely pathogenic (LP), uncertain significance (VUS), likely benign (LB) and benign (B) using the standards and guidelines recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics and the Association for Molecular Pathology, with modifications for specific genes. As the literature continues to rapidly expand, and evidence continues to accumulate, prior classifications can be updated accordingly. In this study, we aim to characterise variant reclassifications in Ontario.

METHODS

DNA samples from patients seen at hereditary cancer clinics in Ontario from January 2012 to April 2022 were submitted for testing. Patients met provincial eligibility criteria for testing for hereditary cancer syndromes or polycystic kidney disease. Reclassification events were determined to be within their broader category of significance (B to LB or vice versa, or P to LP or vice versa) or outside of their broader category as significance (ie, significant reclassifications from B/LB or VUS or P/LP, from P/LP to VUS or B/LB, or from VUS to any other category).

RESULTS

Of the 8075 unique variants included in this study, 23.7% (1912) of variants were reassessed, and 7.2% (578) of variants were reclassified. Of these, 351 (60.7%) variants were reclassified outside of their broader category of significance. Overall, the final classification was significantly different for 336 (58.1%) variants. Importantly, most reclassified variants were downgraded to a more benign classification (n=245; 72.9%). Of note, most reclassified VUS was downgraded to B/LB (n=233; 84.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

The likelihood for reclassification of variants on reassessment is high. Most reclassified variants were downgraded to a more benign classification. Our findings highlight the importance of periodic variant reassessment to ensure timely and appropriate care for patients and their families.

Racial and ethnic variation in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic test results among individuals referred for genetic counseling at a large urban comprehensive cancer center

PURPOSE

The prevalence of pathogenic variants in BRCA1 and BRCA2 in populations other than Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) is not well defined. We describe the racial and ethnic-specific prevalence of BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants and variants of uncertain significance (VUS) among individuals referred for genetic testing in a large urban comprehensive cancer center over a 20-year period.

METHODS

The population included 3,537 unrelated individuals who underwent genetic testing from January 1999 to October 2019 at the Karmanos Cancer Institute. We estimated the prevalence of pathogenic variants and VUS and evaluated associations with race and ethnicity for African American (AA), Arab, AJ and Hispanic individuals compared to Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). We used multivariable models to adjust for other predictors of pathogenic variants. We also reported the most common pathogenic variants by racial and ethnic group.

RESULTS

The racial and ethnic breakdown of our population was: NHW (68.9%), AA (20.3%), AJ (2.5%), Arab (2.2%), Hispanic (1.0%), Asian Pacific Islander, Native American/Alaskan Native (4.7%), and < 1% unknown. The overall prevalence of pathogenic variants in BRCA1/2 was 8.9% and the prevalence of VUS was 5.6%. Compared to NHW, there were no racial or ethnic differences in the rate of pathogenic variants. However, AA individuals were more likely to have VUS in BRCA1 (adjusted OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.38-4.28) and AJ were more likely to have VUS in BRCA2 (adjusted OR 3.50, 95% CI 1.61-6.58).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest the continued need for genetic testing and variant reclassification for individuals of all racial and ethnic groups.

Development of a comprehensive approach to adult hereditary cancer testing in Ontario

BACKGROUND

Genetic testing for hereditary cancer susceptibility has advanced over time due to the discovery of new risk genes, improved technology and decreased cost. In the province of Ontario, testing eligibility criteria were initially developed to include hereditary breast, ovarian and colorectal cancer syndromes. The rapid evolution of genetic technologies has facilitated the ability to interrogate a large number of genes concurrently. This, coupled with new knowledge about risk genes, necessitated a coordinated approach to expanding the scope of genes and indications tested and synchronisation of access and test utilisation across the province as required in a publicly funded universal healthcare system.

METHODS

Ontario Health-Cancer Care Ontario convened expert working groups to develop a standardised and comprehensive cancer gene list for adults and accompanying hereditary cancer testing (HCT) criteria using an evidence-based framework and broad laboratory and clinical genetics engagement.

RESULTS

A standardised 76-cancer-gene panel, organised into 13 larger disease site panels and 25 single/small gene panels, was developed and endorsed by the working groups. Provincial genetic testing eligibility criteria were updated to align with the new panels and to guide clinical decision-making. In the first year following the implementation of these changes, 10 564 HCT panels were performed with an overall mutation detection rate of 12.2%.

CONCLUSION

Using an evidence framework and broad clinical engagement to develop and endorse an updated guidance document, cancer genetic testing for adults in Ontario is now standardised and coordinated across the province.

Cancer prevention in cancer predisposition syndromes: A protocol for testing the feasibility of building a hereditary cancer research registry and nurse navigator follow up model

Monogenic, high penetrance syndromes, conferring an increased risk of malignancies in multiple organs, are important contributors to the hereditary burden of cancer. Early detection and risk reduction strategies in patients with a cancer predisposition syndrome can save their lives. However, despite evidence supporting the benefits of early detection and risk reduction strategies, most Canadian jurisdictions have not implemented programmatic follow up of these patients. In our study site in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada, there is no centralized, provincial registry of high-risk individuals. There is no continuity or coordination of care providing cancer genetics expertise and no process to ensure that patients are referred to the appropriate specialists or risk management interventions. This paper describes a study protocol to test the feasibility of obtaining and analyzing patient risk management data, specifically patients affected by hereditary breast ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC; BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes) and Lynch syndrome (LS; MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 genes). Through a retrospective cohort study, we will describe these patients' adherence to risk management guidelines and test its relationship to health outcomes, including cancer incidence and stage. Through a qualitative interviews, we will determine the priorities and preferences of patients with any inherited cancer mutation for a follow up navigation model of risk management. Study data will inform a subsequent funding application focused on creating and evaluating a research registry and follow up nurse navigation model. It is not currently known what proportion of cancer mutation carriers are receiving care according to guidelines. Data collected in this study will provide clinical uptake and health outcome information so gaps in care can be identified. Data will also provide patient preference information to inform ongoing and planned research with cancer mutation carriers.

Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 pathogenic variants in 8627 unselected patients with breast cancer: stratification of age at diagnosis, family history and molecular subtype

PURPOSE

Comprehensively analyzing the prevalence of BRCA1/2 germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in a large cohort of unselected Chinese patients with breast cancer has great clinical importance.

METHODS

Germline pathogenic variants in full-length BRCA1/2 genes were determined through next-generation sequencing and/or Sanger sequencing assays in 8627 unselected Chinese patients with breast cancer who were treated at the Breast Center of Peking University Cancer Hospital. The prevalence of BRCA1/2 PVs was further stratified by age at diagnosis, family history of cancer and molecular subtype.

RESULTS

We found that the overall prevalence of BRCA1/2 PVs was 6.0% in the entire cohort, 2.4% in BRCA1 and 3.7% in BRCA2. The prevalence of BRCA1/2 PVs in patients with early-onset breast cancer (age at diagnosis ≤ 40 years) was significantly higher than that in patients over the age of 40 (9.7% vs. 5.1%). The prevalence rates of BRCA1/2 PVs in patients with a family history of breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancer were 19.5%, 39.0%, 11.1%, and 12.8%, respectively. Moreover, the number of relatives affected by breast cancer was associated with a higher prevalence of BRCA1/2 PVs. Molecular subtypes were associated with the prevalence of BRCA1/2 PVs. Patients with the triple-negative phenotype had the highest prevalence of BRCA1/2 PVs (13.3%) among the three molecular groups, followed by the HR + and HER2- group (5.9%), and the lowest was in the HER2 + group (2.5%).

CONCLUSION

Our study provides the most comprehensive information to date on the prevalence of BRCA1/2 PVs in unselected Chinese patients with breast cancer.

Multigene panel testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer in the province of Ontario

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic yield of multigene panel testing among patients referred with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC).

METHODS

Patients who met provincial eligibility criteria were tested at the Advanced Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto. Gene sequencing and exon-level copy number variant (CNV) analysis was performed. The referring physician had the opportunity to choose between several different gene panels based on patient phenotype. Cases were included in the analysis based on personal and family history of cancer and the type of panel ordered.

RESULTS

3251 cases that received panel testing were included in this analysis. Overall, 9.1% (295) had a positive (pathogenic or likely pathogenic) result and 27.1% (882) had an inconclusive result (variant of uncertain significance). The genes with the highest prevalence of positive results were in BRCA2 (2.2%, 71/3235), BRCA1 (1.9%, 62/3235), and CHEK2 (1.4%, 40/2916). Of the positive cases, 9.8% (29) had a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant in a gene associated with Lynch syndrome (MSH6, MSH2, MLH1, or PMS2).

CONCLUSIONS

Our overall positive yield is similar to that reported in the literature. The yield of inconclusive results was three times that of positive results. By testing more individuals in families with HBOC and through data-sharing efforts, the clinical significance of most variants may eventually be determined and panel testing for monogenic cancer predisposition syndromes will have greater utility.

BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants in triple-negative versus luminal-like breast cancers: genotype-phenotype correlation in a cohort of 531 patients

BACKGROUND

Several available data suggest the association between specific molecular subtypes and BRCA1/2 mutational status. Previous investigations showed the association between BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants (PVs) in specific genomic regions and phenotypic variations of cancer relative risk, while the role of PV type and location in determining the breast cancer (BC) phenotypic features remains still unclear. The aim of this research was to describe the germline BRCA1/2 PVs in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) versus luminal-like BC and their potential leverage on BC phenotype.

PATIENTS & METHODS

We retrospectively collected and analyzed all clinical information of 531 patients with BC genetically tested for germline BRCA1/2 PVs by Next-Generation Sequencing analysis at University Hospital Policlinico "P. Giaccone" of Palermo (Sicily) from January 2016 to February 2020.

RESULTS

Our results corroborate the evidence that BRCA1-related tumors often have a profile which resembles the TNBC subtype, whereas BRCA2-associated tumors have a profile that resembles luminal-like BC, especially the Luminal B subtype. Interestingly, our findings suggest that the PVs identified in TNBC were not largely overlapping with those in luminal-like tumors. Differences in the frequency of two PVs potentially associated with different molecular tumor subtypes were observed. BRCA1-633delC was detected with relatively higher prevalence in patients with TNBC, whereas BRCA2-1466delT was found mainly in Luminal B tumors, but in no TNBC patient.

CONCLUSION

Future studies examining the type and location of BRCA1/2 PVs within different molecular subtypes are required to verify our hypothesis and could provide an interesting insight into the complex topic of genotype-phenotype correlations. Additionally, a more in-depth understanding of the potential correlations between BRCA PVs and clinical and phenotypic features of hereditary BC syndrome patients could be the key to develop better strategies of prevention and surveillance in BRCA-positive carriers without disease.

Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer in Families from Southern Italy (Sicily)-Prevalence and Geographic Distribution of Pathogenic Variants in BRCA1/2 Genes

Recent advances in the detection of germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in BRCA1/2 genes have allowed a deeper understanding of the BRCA-related cancer risk. Several studies showed a significant heterogeneity in the prevalence of PVs across different populations. Because little is known about this in the Sicilian population, our study was aimed at investigating the prevalence and geographic distribution of inherited BRCA1/2 PVs in families from this specific geographical area of Southern Italy. We retrospectively collected and analyzed all clinical information of 1346 hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer patients genetically tested for germline BRCA1/2 PVs at University Hospital Policlinico "P. Giaccone" of Palermo from January 1999 to October 2019. Thirty PVs were more frequently observed in the Sicilian population but only some of these showed a specific territorial prevalence, unlike other Italian and European regions. This difference could be attributed to the genetic heterogeneity of the Sicilian people and its historical background. Therefore hereditary breast and ovarian cancers could be predominantly due to BRCA1/2 PVs different from those usually detected in other geographical areas of Italy and Europe. Our investigation led us to hypothesize that a higher prevalence of some germline BRCA PVs in Sicily could be a population-specific genetic feature of BRCA-positive carriers.

Retesting of women who are negative for a BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation using a 20-gene panel

BACKGROUND

The value of retesting women who previously tested negative for a pathogenic variant (mutation) in BRCA1 and BRCA2 using an expanded panel of breast and ovarian cancer genes is unclear.

METHODS

We studied 110 BRCA1/2-negative women who were retested using a panel of 20 breast and/or ovarian cancer susceptibility genes at the Advanced Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory (AMDL) at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto between March 2017 and March 2019. All patients had previously tested negative for BRCA pathogenic variants at the AMDL between January 2012 and March 2018 and were subsequently referred for retesting by their physician.

RESULTS

Overall, six pathogenic variants in genes other than BRCA1 and BRCA2 were found (prevalence 5.5%). There were two pathogenic variants found in RAD51C, and one found in each of BRIP1, PALB2, PMS2 and PTEN. The prevalence of pathogenic variants was 6.5% for women affected with cancer (6 of 93), including 4.9% for women with breast cancer (4 of 82) and 22.2% for women with ovarian cancer (2 of 9). None of the 17 unaffected women had a clinically significant or pathogenic variant. There were 44 women (40%) for whom the result of the panel test was inconclusive due to the detection of a variant of uncertain significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that the retesting of BRCA1/2-negative individuals with an expanded panel of 20 breast and ovarian cancer genes can produce clinically relevant results, with a yield of 5.5% for pathogenic variants in genes other than BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Variant classification changes over time in BRCA1 and BRCA2

PURPOSE

To report BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) variant reassessments and reclassifications between 2012 and 2017 at the Advanced Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory (AMDL) in Toronto, Canada, which provides BRCA1/2 testing for patients in Ontario, and to compare AMDL variant classifications with submissions in ClinVar.

METHODS

Variants were assessed using a standardized variant assessment tool based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics/Association for Molecular Pathology's guidelines and tracked in an in-house database. Variants were shared through the Canadian Open Genetics Repository and submitted to ClinVar for comparison against other laboratories.

RESULTS

AMDL identified 1209 BRCA1/2 variants between 2012 and 2017. During this period, 32.9% (398/1209) of variants were reassessed and 12.4% (150/1209) were reclassified. The majority of reclassified variants were downgraded (112/150, 74.7%). Of the reclassified variants, 63.3% (95/150) were reclassified to benign, 20.7% (31/150) to likely benign, 10.0% (15/150) to variant of uncertain significance, 2.0% (3/150) to likely pathogenic, and 4.0% (6/150) to pathogenic. Discordant ClinVar submissions were found for 40.4% (488/1209) of variants.

CONCLUSION

BRCA1/2 variants may be reclassified over time. Reclassification presents ethical and practical challenges related to recontacting patients. Data sharing is essential to improve variant interpretation, to help patients receive appropriate care based on their genetic results.

Promoting guideline-based cancer genetic risk assessment for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer in ethnically and geographically diverse cancer survivors: Rationale and design of a 3-arm randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Although national guidelines for cancer genetic risk assessment (CGRA) for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) have been available for over two decades, less than half of high-risk women have accessed these services, especially underserved minority and rural populations. Identification of high-risk individuals is crucial for cancer survivors and their families to benefit from biomedical advances in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment.

METHODS

This paper describes community-engaged formative research and the protocol of the ongoing randomized 3-arm controlled Genetic Risk Assessment for Cancer Education and Empowerment (GRACE) trial. Ethnically and geographically diverse breast and ovarian cancer survivors at increased risk for hereditary cancer predisposition who have not had a CGRA are recruited through the three statewide cancer registries. The specific aims are to: 1) compare the effectiveness of a targeted intervention (TP) vs. a tailored counseling and navigation(TCN) intervention vs. usual care (UC) on CGRA utilization at 6 months post-diagnosis (primary outcome); compare the effectiveness of the interventions on genetic counseling uptake at 12 months after removal of cost barriers (secondary outcome); 2) examine potential underlying theoretical mediating and moderating mechanisms; and 3) conduct a cost evaluation to guide dissemination strategies.

DISCUSSION

The ongoing GRACE trial addresses an important translational gap by developing and implementing evidence-based strategies to promote guideline-based care and reduce disparities in CGRA utilization among ethnically and geographically diverse women. If effective, these interventions have the potential to reach a large number of high-risk families and reduce disparities through broad dissemination.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03326713; clinicaltrials.gov.

Real-world health services utilisation and outcomes after BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing in Ontario, Canada: the What Comes Next Cohort Study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Women who have pathogenic mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are at greatly increased risks for breast and ovarian cancers. Although risk-reduction strategies can be undertaken by these women, knowledge regarding the uptake of these strategies is limited. Additionally, the healthcare behaviours of women who receive inconclusive test results are not known. This study protocol describes the creation of a retrospective cohort of women who have undergone genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, linking genetic test results with administrative data to quantify the uptake of risk-reduction strategies and to assess long-term cancer and non-cancer outcomes after genetic testing.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Approximately two-thirds of BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing in Ontario, Canada is performed at North York General Hospital (NYGH) and Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH), Toronto. We will use registries at these sites to assemble a cohort of approximately 17 000 adult women who underwent BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing from January 2007 to April 2016. Trained chart abstractors will obtain detailed information for all women tested over this period, including demographics, personal and family cancer histories and genetic test results. We will link these data to provincial administrative databases, enabling assessment of healthcare utilisation and long-term outcomes after testing. Study outcomes will include the uptake of breast cancer screening and prophylactic breast and ovarian surgery, cancer incidence and mortality and incidence of non-cancer health outcomes, including cardiovascular, osteoporotic and neurodegenerative disease.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study has been approved by the Research Ethics Boards at NYGH (no 16-0035), MSH (no 13-0124) and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (no 275-2016). We plan to disseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international meetings.

Efficacy versus effectiveness of clinical genetic testing criteria for BRCA1 and BRCA2 hereditary mutations in incident breast cancer

Increasing evidence supports the benefit of identifying BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations in early breast cancer. Selection of patients for genetic testing is based on defined criteria taking individual and family history related factors into account. It is important to make a distinction between efficacy and effectiveness of BRCA testing criteria. Efficacy can be defined as the performance under ideal circumstances, whereas effectiveness refers to its real life performance. To allow for an unbiased and detailed evaluation of efficacy and effectiveness of the Swedish BRCA testing criteria, we retrospectively analyzed a prospectively collected cohort of 273 breast cancer patients from the well-characterized, population-based, single-site All Breast Cancer in Malmö (ABiM) study. The patients were diagnosed with breast cancer during the years 2007 through 2009. Out of 20 mutation carriers identified, 13 fulfilled Swedish criteria at time of diagnosis. Thus, the efficacy of these criteria was 65%. Excluding three patients in whom a mutation was already known at time of diagnosis, only 3/17 had been identified in the clinical routine, corresponding to an effectiveness of 18%. Here we detail the reasons why mutation carriers in our cohort were not detected though routine health care. In conclusion, effectiveness of BRCA testing criteria was much lower than efficacy. Our results indicate that current testing criteria and procedures associated with BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing are insufficient. There is room for improvement of their efficacy, but even more so regarding effectiveness. Clinical BRCA testing routines need to be critically revised.

Current guidelines for BRCA testing of breast cancer patients are insufficient to detect all mutation carriers

Background

Identification of BRCA mutations in breast cancer (BC) patients influences treatment and survival and may be of importance for their relatives. Testing is often restricted to women fulfilling high-risk criteria. However, there is limited knowledge of the sensitivity of such a strategy, and of the clinical aspects of BC caused by BRCA mutations in less selected BC cohorts. The aim of this report was to address these issues by evaluating the results of BRCA testing of BC patients in South-Eastern Norway.

Methods

1371 newly diagnosed BC patients were tested with sequencing and Multi Ligation Probe Amplification (MLPA). Prevalence of mutations was calculated, and BC characteristics among carriers and non-carriers compared. Sensitivity and specificity of common guidelines for BRCA testing to identify carriers was analyzed. Number of identified female mutation positive relatives was evaluated.

Results

A pathogenic BRCA mutation was identified in 3.1%. Carriers differed from non-carriers in terms of age at diagnosis, family history, grade, ER/PR-status, triple negativity (TNBC) and Ki67, but not in HER2 and TNM status. One mutation positive female relative was identified per mutation positive BC patient. Using age of onset below 40 or TNBC as criteria for testing identified 32-34% of carriers. Common guidelines for testing identified 45-90%, and testing all below 60 years identified 90%. Thirty-seven percent of carriers had a family history of cancer that would have qualified for predictive BRCA testing. A Variant of Uncertain Significance (VUS) was identified in 4.9%.

Conclusions

Mutation positive BC patients differed as a group from mutation negative. However, the commonly used guidelines for testing were insufficient to detect all mutation carriers in the BC cohort. Thirty-seven percent had a family history of cancer that would have qualified for predictive testing before they were diagnosed with BC. Based on our combined observations, we suggest it is time to discuss whether all BC patients should be offered BRCA testing, both to optimize treatment and improve survival for these women, but also to enable identification of healthy mutation carriers within their families. Health services need to be aware of referral possibility for healthy women with cancer in their family.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-017-3422-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Eligibility Criteria and Genetic Testing Results from a High-Risk Cohort for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome in Southeastern Ontario

Germline mutations in breast and ovarian cancer are rare, with approximately 5% to 10% and 13% being hereditary in origin, respectively. In 2001, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, in an effort to contain costs, defined criteria to determine an individual's eligibility for BRCA genetic screening. We studied a cohort of individuals that have undergone genetic testing at Kingston General Hospital between 2001 and late 2013. We focused on determining whether the 13 risk criteria, defined by an expert working group for the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, have performed according to expectations in this cohort. Our findings show that all of the criteria perform well by identifying carriers at the expected 10% rate defined by the guidelines. We demonstrate that loose application of the risk criteria does not further enrich for BRCA variant carriers. Our assessment of the established risk criteria that have been in use in Ontario for more than a decade, provide evidence for their effectiveness, and offer insights into how they may be expanded or improved.

Inherited mutations in DNA repair genes and cancer risk

Although most cancer cases are due to somatic mutations, up to 10% of cases are attributable to germline mutations. This inherited cancer predisposition is mostly due to the loss of function of suppressor genes rather than the activation of oncogenes. Defects in DNA repair genes are the genetic events most commonly involved in hereditary cancers. The implementation of high-throughput sequencing in diagnostic testing has uncovered new predisposition genes. Furthermore, for some tumor types these sequencing techniques have also unveiled a prevalence of germline mutations significantly higher than previous estimations. The clinical implications of many of these repair defects are yet to be defined. Further studies will need to be conducted to establish the most appropriated management of unaffected carriers that are likely to grow in numbers. On the contrary, the presence of DNA repair defects provides a unique opportunity for the development of treatments that take advantage of a tumor feature. In this review article, we summarize not only the most common syndromes linked to DNA repair defects but also less known entities. We address the underlying genetics and the clinical implications of each DNA repair defect as well as the current recommendations for cancer surveillance.

The Impact of Angelina Jolie (AJ)'s Story on Genetic Referral and Testing at an Academic Cancer Centre in Canada

In May 2013, Angelina Jolie revealed to the media that she had undergone preventive double mastectomy after testing positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation. Media coverage has been extensive, but it is not clear how such a personal story affected the public and cancer genetics clinics. We conducted a retrospective review using data from the clinical database of the Familial Cancer Program at our centre. The impact of Ms. Jolie's story on genetic counseling referrals and the appropriateness of such referrals were assessed and reported. The number of women referred for genetic counseling increased by 90 % after 6 months and remained high one year after AJ's story with an increase of 88 % from baseline. The number of women who qualified for genetic testing increased by 105 % after 6 months; this increase persisted but was somewhat lower after one year with an increase of 68 % from baseline. Furthermore the number of BRCA1/2 carriers identified increased by 110 % after 6 months and by 42 % after one year.The effect of Mrs. Jolie's story persisted one year after its release; however in the latter half of the year, the hereditary cancer risk of referred women was significantly lower than initially observed. The next challenge for our health care system will not only be to meet the increased demand for cancer genetic services in our region, but also to ensure that referrals and hence use of genetic counseling resources are appropriate.