Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
15%
3 of 20 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
New York Post's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Health
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
About 5 to 10% of breast cancer cases are linked to inherited gene mutations, which is why doctors recommend all women complete a risk assessment by age 25 to determine if they should get further genetic testing for cancer-linked BRCA mutations.
asserted
they → link → mutations
But women who got their genetic test results a while ago — before 2013 — may find it missed mutations we can easily test for now.
uncertain
we → get → mutations
In fact, a recent study found than one in six women (17.3%) who tested negative for dangerous mutations in the early days of testing actually did have a dangerous variant when they retested an average of five years later.
asserted
they → find → variant
“There are probably thousands of individuals out there who need to be retested,” Dr. Sofia Merajver, a breast cancer researcher, told the Washington Post.
asserted
Merajver → be → Post
You’ve probably heard of BRCA1 and BRCA2 — when these genes mutate, they carry the highest risk of breast cancer.
asserted
they → hear → cancer
When cancer does develop in people with mutations on these genes, it’s often more aggressive.
asserted
it → develop → genes
These genes were identified back in the 90s by Myriad Genetics, and for 15 years, the company held exclusive rights to screen and test for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.
asserted
company → identify → mutations
Tests usually looked for one or the other, or both, excluding many other genes we now know hold risk.
asserted
we → look → risk
In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that human genes couldn’t be patented, opening the door easier testing that looked at both BRCA genes as well as mutations on up to 50 cancer-related genes in one test.
asserted
that → rule → test
After 2013, costs also dropped from around $4,000 to less than $400.
asserted
costs → drop → 400
As a result, testing among both men and women steadily increased over the next decade.
asserted
testing → increase → decade
As research has expanded, we now know about at least 11 more genes linked to increased risk of breast cancer outside of BRCA1 and BRCA2.
asserted
we → expand → BRCA1
But that’s not an exhaustive list: Dozens of other genes are being investigated to see if they increase a person’s risk of breast cancer.
“It’s very worthwhile for someone to get retested because if you’ve only been tested for BRCA1 and 2, you only have part of the story,” Dr. Versha Pleasant, a breast cancer researcher, told the Washington Post.
asserted
Pleasant → ’ → Post
Should you get tested for genetic breast cancer risk?
asserted
you → test → risk
In the study that showed more than one in six women got a false negative on breast cancer genetic testing, most only returned to get retested after a family member was diagnosed.
asserted
member → show → testing
Having a first degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) with breast cancer almost doubles a woman’s risk of developing it themselves.
asserted
relative → have → it
Family history is one of the most important factors in a standard risk assessment assessing whether you should get genetic testing done.
asserted
testing → assess → assessment
Ideally, it should be done with a doctor as DIY risk assessments
Genetic testing especially important for those who’ve already been diagnosed with cancer, as genetic mutations could change treatment plans.
For example, after a test shows a high-risk inherited gene mutation, a doctor may recommend a mastectomy (removal of all breast tissue) rather than a lumpectomy (removal of the tumor only, preserving the breast) to drop risk of cancer returning to the single digits.
uncertain
cancer → do → digits
Also, medications may work well for a certain mutation but not another.
uncertain
medications → work → mutation
Genetic testing can point doctors to what treatment will work best.
asserted
treatment → point → doctors
The Aporia
