Women who have mutations in two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, have a higher risk of both breast and ovarian cancer. Since 1996, doctors have been able to test for that mutation, and many women have, in fact, chosen to get tested. Researchers have wondered, however, whether certain demographic groups are more likely to take advantage of this option. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine looked at the racial characteristics of women with a family history of breast cancer to see who was getting tested.

What they wanted to know: Do women of different races differ in how often they are tested for susceptibility to breast cancer?

What they did: The researchers compared demographic data from a group of more than 400 women who had a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, about half of whom had chosen to get genetic counseling. In addition to comparing socioeconomic and racial data, the researchers surveyed all of the women about their level of worry about breast cancer to see if that figured into their decision to undergo genetic counseling.

What they found: African-American women were 78 percent less likely to get a genetic screening than white women, even after controlling for other factors, such as socioeconomic status. Women who had the screening were on average, younger, married, more highly educated, and more likely to be Jewish than women who did not have the screening. The women who were screened were also more likely to feel anxious about getting cancer and confident that a genetic test would reassure them.

What it means to you: It's unclear why African-American women do not take advantage of genetic screening as often as do white women. But the screening can help women who have a family history of breast cancer regardless of their race. A negative result may help put a woman's mind at ease; a positive result could spur her to explore with her doctor possible treatments and procedures for reducing her risk.

Caveats: These researchers looked only at women in the Philadelphia area so it could be that these results don't apply to other areas of the country. In addition, the researchers examined only African-Americans versus whites because they did not have enough data to look at other racial groups.

Find out more: The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has a page that explains how and why genetic tests are done.

Read the article: Armstrong, K. et al. "Racial Differences in the Use of BRCA1/2 Testing Among Women With a Family History of Breast or Ovarian Cancer." Journal of the American Medical Association. April 13, 2005, Vol. 293, No. 14, pp. 1729–1736.

Article online: http://jama.ama-assn.org