October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a moment to raise awareness, honour patients and families, and reflect on how scientific progress continues to improve early detection and prevention for the over 2 million women diagnosed every year worldwide.
At the beginning of the 2000s, genetic testing for breast cancer was limited to BRCA1 and BRCA2, reserved for a few high-risk families due to its cost.
Two decades later, with next-generation sequencing (NGS), we can analyse dozens of breast cancer susceptibility genes (BCSGs) simultaneously, opening new opportunities for prevention, surveillance, and personalized care.
This month’s featured paper — “Breast cancer germline multigene panel testing in mainstream oncology based on clinical–public health utility” — summarizes the ESMO Precision Oncology Working Group recommendations.
Their analysis identifies a core group of 6–7 genes (BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, RAD51C, RAD51D, BRIP1, and TP53 for early-onset cases) that capture most of the clinically actionable hereditary risk in mainstream oncology practice.
Focusing on these genes ensures that patients receive results with proven preventive and therapeutic impact.
Yet, as recent literature reminds us, hereditary predisposition to cancer often extends beyond breast and ovarian malignancies. Moderate-risk and syndromic genes (e.g., CHEK2, ATM, PTEN, NF1, CDH1) may intersect with other hereditary conditions — from endocrine to gastrointestinal and neurological syndromes — highlighting how multigene testing contributes to broader preventive medicine.
At 4bases, we fully embrace this integrated vision.
Our HEVA Pro panel includes all ESMO-recommended core genes and extends coverage to 43 additional genesinvolved in hereditary cancer susceptibility, supporting both clinical decision-making and research into complex risk profiles.
Because prevention begins with awareness — and awareness begins with understanding our genome.
