WHAT IS BREVAGen?
BREVAGen is a new test that looks for the presence (or absence) of genetic variations in your DNA known as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, or SNPs. Certain SNPs are associated with breast cancer, so by identifying these, it is possible to predict if you are more, or less, likely to develop breast cancer.
Firstly it assesses what has happened in your life that could affect your risk. These are called clinical risks, which are compared to the general population, from using a Clinical Risk assessment model also known as the Gail Test.
Secondly, BREVAGen assesses 'Genetic Markers' that are associated with your individual breast cancer risk. We examine your SNPs to produce an integrated risk score.
BREVAGen combines both risk scores to give your physician a personalised risk assessment report.
The report details your percentage risk of getting breast cancer for the next 5 years and over your lifetime.
Although this risk analysis cannot be used to detect or diagnose if you already have the disease, it is associated with an increased risk of non-familial or sporadic breast cancer, which accounts for the vast majority of all breast cancers.
HOW DOES THE TEST WORK IN PRACTICE?
BREVAGen is easy to take. Your doctor simply swabs the inside of your cheek for a sample of DNA and sends that off to our laboratory. Once the analysis has been completed your BREVAGen report is sent to your doctor and they will explain the results to you using established clinical guidelines. The test is currently validated only in Caucasian women of European decent 35 years of age or older and who have not had breast cancer or a previous diagnosis of LCIS or DCIS.
WHAT DO THE RESULTS TELL YOU?
Your Clinical Risk score gives you a basic understanding of breast cancer risk compared with other women in the population. BREVAGen combines the Clinical Risk score with your genetic make-up to give you a personalised picture of your breast cancer risk.
The results provide a 5-year and lifetime risk percentage score and are measured against guidelines from the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
In approximately two thirds of cases, women with an Above Average Clinical Risk score have had their individual risk either increased or decreased by doing a BREVAGen test.3
Depending on your risk and your health profile, your doctor can then work with you to devise a 'breast health plan'.
SCIENTIFICALLY VALIDATED AND REVIEWED
The SNPs used in the BREVAGen test were identified from over 266,000 SNPs in association with extensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS) involving over 50,000 women. These have been published in leading scientific and medical journals including Nature and Nature Genetics. The test is also the subject of a peer review publication in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 4-6
