J Breast Cancer.  2008 Jun;11(2):95-101. 10.4048/jbc.2008.11.2.95.

Practice Patterns of Surgeons for the Management of Hereditary Breast Cancer in Korea

• Kim KS
• Kim SW
• Lee MH
• Ahn SH
• Park SK
• Korean Breast Cancer Society

• KMID: 2241938
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4048/jbc.2008.11.2.95

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to examine practice patterns of surgeons for the management of hereditary breast cancer in Korea.
METHODS
A structured questionnaire was circulated to the members of the Korean Breast Cancer Society through email distribution between 6 July and 14 August 2007. A total of 43 surgeons from 42 hospitals responded to the survey.
RESULTS
Of the respondents, 81.4% (n=35) asked for information related to the family histories of cancer and 58.1% (n=25) recommended genetic testing for their patients. Indications for genetic testing recommended by the 25 surgeons were the following: breast cancer patients with family histories of breast or ovarian cancer (96%), bilateral breast cancer (80%), early-onset (64%) or male breast cancer (52%), and a double primary malignancy with breast and ovarian cancer (36%). Of the respondents, 52% (13/25) performed genetic counseling before genetic testing, and the surgeons (81.3%, 13/16) or genetic counselors (18.7%, 3/16) provided the genetic counseling. Although 154 BRCA1/2 mutation carriers of 95 families have been identified so far, only 12 family members were managed for prophylaxis by tamoxifen chemoprevention (n=2), a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (n=2) or a prophylactic oophorectomy (n=8). There was no report of a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy being performed.
CONCLUSION
Although BRCA1/2 mutation carriers for highrisk patients with hereditary breast cancer have been identified in Korea, practice and management for cancer prevention does not seem to be actively performed. The Korean Hereditary Breast Cancer (KOHBRA) Study will serve to establish the Korean guidelines of evidence-based clinical practice for hereditary breast cancer.

Keyword

Hereditary breast cancer; Practice patterns for management; Questionnaire

MeSH Terms

Breast
Breast Neoplasms
Breast Neoplasms, Male
Chemoprevention
Counseling
Surveys and Questionnaires
Electronic Mail
Female
Genetic Counseling
Genetic Testing
Humans
Korea
Male
Mastectomy
Ovarian Neoplasms
Ovariectomy
Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen

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