Preface
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 August 2009
Summary
Cancer genetics is a new field where medical knowledge is developing rapidly, and there is a continuing need to assess the implications of new research into the genetic aspects of breast and ovarian cancer for clinical management.
Clearly, many individuals have a family history of cancer, but only a small proportion have inherited genes conferring a high risk of developing specific cancers. The development of services to identify individuals at high risk for genetic assessment/testing and management, and to offer those at moderately increased risk appropriate surveillance and follow-up for cancer, is a major organizational challenge which must be shared between clinicians at all levels – from primary care to the specialist geneticist.
Because this field is developing so rapidly, there are scanty up-to-date, concise and accessible sources of information to which interested professionals (whether clinical geneticists, surgeons, oncologists, psychologists or other professionals) can turn. This book has been written to address this.
It is divided into three parts. Part 1 deals with summaries of the molecular biology and natural history of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Part 2 examines current screening recommendations, how services have been set up, the characteristics of patients referred, and how services differ in different cultures. Part 3 deals with management of breast and ovarian cancer in mutation carriers and those at high risk, and also includes chapters on ethical, social and insurance issues, psychosocial aspects, and preventative surgery.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Familial Breast and Ovarian CancerGenetics, Screening and Management, pp. xvPublisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2002