Featured Articles

Society of Gynecologic Oncologists (SGO) Position Statement on Assessing Risk for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes

The SGO position statement provides guidance in identifying patients who may benefit from risk assessment for hereditary breast, ovarian, colorectal, and endometrial cancers. Knowledge of a patient’s risk for hereditary cancers can assist in developing individualized screening and prevention strategies, including surgical intervention.

The SGO concludes:

• Genetic risk assessment is recommended for patients with greater than approximately 20%-25% chance of having an inherited predisposition to Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) and/or Lynch syndrome (HNPCC)
• Genetic risk assessment is appropriate for patients with greater than approximately 5% to 10% chance of having an inherited predisposition to HBOC and/or Lynch syndrome (HNPCC)

Click here for a PDF version of the full recommendations*

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Position Statement on Routine Screening for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer

The ACOG Practice Bulletin provides guidance on routinely evalutating a patient’s risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, an important first step in cancer prevention and early detection. It also provides information on how to counsel patients with hereditary risk in cancer prevention and discusses the option of surgical intervention.

The ACOG concludes:

• Genetic risk assessment is recommended for women who have more than a 20% to 25% chance of having an inherited predisposition to breast or ovarian cancer
• Genetic risk assessment is appropriate for women with a 5% to 10% chance of having hereditary risk

*To view PDF files, you need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software.

>> Find a Referral Center