Is testing right for you?

This is not a test for cancer: it is a test that can tell you if a higher risk for breast and ovarian cancer runs in your family.

Knowing your risk can help you and your doctor make better, more informed decisions about your health, before cancer has a chance to develop. You should consider testing for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) syndrome if you:

• Have had breast cancer before age 50
• Have 2 or more relatives who've had breast cancer
• Have a male relative who's had breast cancer
• Have had breast cancer in both breasts or twice in the same breast
• Have had breast cancer and are of Ashkenazi, or Eastern European Jewish, ancestry
• Have had ovarian cancer at any age

If you think you may benefit from testing, first ask yourself these questions:

Should I consider the test?
How can the test help me?
Will my health insurance pay for the test?
If I get tested, will my health insurance discriminate against me?

Should I Consider the Test?

People with certain factors in their family and personal history may benefit from testing.

How Can the Test Help Me?

BRACAnalysis^® results help women make more informed healthcare decisions?before cancer has a chance to develop. For example:

• A woman who knows she carries a BRCA mutation can start cancer screening at an earlier age. She can also choose options like risk-reducing medications and preventive surgery
• Doctors can help women move forward with the right action plan for their particular risks
• Women already diagnosed with cancer may be able to prevent a second cancer
• Test results can help relatives learn and understand more about inherited risk and how it may affect them

Will My Health Insurance Pay for the Test?

Most health insurance companies pay for testing. More than 90% of tests receive coverage, and the average reimbursement is more than 90%.

If I Get Tested, Will My Health Insurance Discriminate Against Me?

Federal and state legislation protects your privacy and prohibits health insurance discrimination based on genetic information. About 200,000 people have been tested in the last 10 years and there are no documented cases of discrimination. There are also many published articles showing that it's really fear of discrimination rather than the reality of discrimination that keeps people from considering testing.