Eight in ten Belgians willing to test for breast cancer genes
No fewer than eight in ten Belgians are willing to be tested for breast cancer genes as a preventative measure. This was indicated in a study presented by Pink Ribbon on Tuesday during a press conference to launch October’s breast cancer awareness campaign.
The organisation is urging the government to ensure that everyone with breast cancer, as well as their relatives, has the opportunity to be tested.
The BRCA1 and BRCA2 risk
Of the twelve breast cancer genes identified so far, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are of particular concern. These increase the risk of breast cancer by 60 to 80 per cent in women and by 1 to 7 per cent in men. "They cause untold suffering, especially in women, often at a young age," says Dr Marleen Finoulst. An estimated 33,000 to 55,000 people in Belgium carry these high-risk genes, with at least half unaware of it.
Call for political action
"Too many carriers of these genes are currently left in the dark about this," Finoulst adds. At present, Belgium’s eight testing centres lack the capacity to carry out large-scale screening. Pink Ribbon will therefore bring the issue before the federal parliament on Thursday to initiate a debate on "gene testing" for cancer.
"I believe it is cheaper for a minister of finance to conduct preventive testing for the gene on a larger scale," says professor Emeritus Jan Lamote. Half of carriers discover the risk too late, often once they are already ill. Men also benefit from testing: "Their risk of prostate cancer, for example, increases by fifteen per cent, but they can also pass the gene on to their daughters," Lamote explains. "Getting tested is often an act of love for those close to you."
Limits of current testing
Currently, the genes can be detected through a blood test, but only for people with breast cancer who meet specific criteria and their first- and second-degree relatives. According to Pink Ribbon, follow-up is also inadequate. "In the event of an unfavourable result, the carrier is asked to inform their relatives, because they too are entitled to a genetic test if they so desire," says Dr Finoulst. "However, this happens far too infrequently and is not followed up."
Pink Ribbon is calling for expanded testing capacity as part of a wider campaign. This October, the organisation is also highlighting the often invisible nature of breast cancer with its Shine a Light initiative. "Because it often remains invisible, it becomes more difficult to talk about it with those around you," says Sofie Guns, who will share her experience of metastatic breast cancer. "The network for people with, for example, metastatic breast cancer often shrinks. In such cases, it’s important that they know where to turn."
A patient is pictured before a mammography ©PHOTO ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP
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