TY - JOUR
T1 - A dedicated follow-up clinic for BRCA mutation carriers
AU - Yerushalmi, Rinat
AU - Rizel, Shulamith
AU - Zoref, Dalia
AU - Sharon, Eran
AU - Eitan, Ram
AU - Sabah, Gad
AU - Grubstein, Ahuva
AU - Rafson, Yael
AU - Cohen, Maya
AU - Magen, Ada
AU - Birenboim, Iehudit
AU - Margel, David
AU - Ozlavo, Rachel
AU - Sulkes, Aaron
AU - Brenner, Baruch
AU - Perry, Shlomit
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016, Israel Medical Association. All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/9
Y1 - 2016/9
N2 - Women who carry the BRCA gene mutation have an up to 80% chance of developing cancer, primarily of breast and ovarian origin. Confirmation of carrier status is described by many women as an overwhelming, life-changing event. Healthy individuals harboring a BRCA mutation constitute a high risk population with unique needs, often overlooked by health authorities. As such, we felt the need to create a specialized service dedicated specifically to this high risk population. The clinic staff comprises an experienced multidisciplinary team of health professionals who can support the medical and emotional needs of this population. Since its inception in 2001 the clinic has served 318 women. Their mean age is46 years. With a median follow-up of 46 months, 21 women have developed malignancies, including 17 breast cancers, 1 ovarian cancer and 3 additional cancers. All but one of the patients above the age of 40 underwent bilateral salpingooophorectomy (BSO). The median and mean ages at BSO were 46.5 and 48 years, respectively (range 33-68). However, only 28.3% underwent bilateral preventive mastectomy. A multidisciplinary clinic for BRCA mutation carriers provides a "home" for this unique population with unmet needs. The high rate of BSO in women before natural menopause indicates that both the medical community and this population are aware of international guidelines supporting this procedure. We believe that a dedicated clinic with a multidisciplinary team is likely to contribute to the health, quality of life and survival of BRCA carriers.
AB - Women who carry the BRCA gene mutation have an up to 80% chance of developing cancer, primarily of breast and ovarian origin. Confirmation of carrier status is described by many women as an overwhelming, life-changing event. Healthy individuals harboring a BRCA mutation constitute a high risk population with unique needs, often overlooked by health authorities. As such, we felt the need to create a specialized service dedicated specifically to this high risk population. The clinic staff comprises an experienced multidisciplinary team of health professionals who can support the medical and emotional needs of this population. Since its inception in 2001 the clinic has served 318 women. Their mean age is46 years. With a median follow-up of 46 months, 21 women have developed malignancies, including 17 breast cancers, 1 ovarian cancer and 3 additional cancers. All but one of the patients above the age of 40 underwent bilateral salpingooophorectomy (BSO). The median and mean ages at BSO were 46.5 and 48 years, respectively (range 33-68). However, only 28.3% underwent bilateral preventive mastectomy. A multidisciplinary clinic for BRCA mutation carriers provides a "home" for this unique population with unmet needs. The high rate of BSO in women before natural menopause indicates that both the medical community and this population are aware of international guidelines supporting this procedure. We believe that a dedicated clinic with a multidisciplinary team is likely to contribute to the health, quality of life and survival of BRCA carriers.
KW - BRCA carriers
KW - Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO)
KW - Prophylactic mastectomy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84989836743&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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AN - SCOPUS:84989836743
SN - 1565-1088
VL - 18
SP - 549
EP - 552
JO - Israel Medical Association Journal
JF - Israel Medical Association Journal
IS - 9
ER -