SAFEGUARDING OUR HEALTH
BRCA, Genetic Testing, and Preventive Measures
We all endeavor to protect our health, but we often question whether we do enough. Scientists have recently identified the BRCA genetic mutations (common in Ashkenazi Jews) that significantly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Are you obliged to test for it? And if you have it, how far should you go in taking preventive measures? Where do you draw the line between keen vigilance and pointless panic?