The importance of genetic testing in cancer prevention

Abstract

The present article describes patient with the BRCA1 5382insC mutation in location 17q21. The patient was referred for genetic counselling because of infertility. While consulting the patient for infertility and collecting family tree the patient told that her mother, grandmother and aunt had or still has an ovarian cancer. So patient received genetic test for six most often BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. Test showed that patient has the mutation of BRCA1 5382insC gene. BRCA1 5382insC mutation 10 times increases risk to get breast cancer and 20 times ovarian cancer, compared with the general population. To reduce risk of breast and ovarian cancer patient received advices about healthy life style, screening tests for ovarian cancer and was offered to oncologist to consult prophylactic oophorectomy. Genetic testing is connected with patent law. World patent system is based on the main characteristics of patenting, i.e., inventions must meet the general details – invention novelty, utility and nonobviousness. In addition, it is important to comply with the requirements to public orde and morality, which are becoming essential on isolated human genes and cells patenting. Moral and Ethical issues in Europe and the U.S. are different scope. According to the European system, the question of when morality may be used as a basis to exclude patents on biotechnological inventions is an ethical question and also closely interconnected with fundamental constitutional issues.