Is there anything else I need to know about a BRCA genetic test?
If your results show you have a BRCA gene mutation, you can take steps that may lower your risk of breast cancer. These include:
More frequent cancer screening tests, such as mammograms and ultrasounds. Cancer is easier to treat when it's found in the early stages.
Taking birth control pills for a limited time. Taking birth control pills for a maximum of five years has been shown to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in some women with  BRCA gene mutations. Taking the pills for more than five years to reduce cancer is not recommended. If you were taking birth control pills before you took the BRCA test, tell your health care provider how old you were when you started taking the pills and for how long. He or she will then recommend whether or not you should continue taking them.
Taking cancer-fighting medicines. Certain drugs, such as one called tamoxifen, have been shown to reduce the risk in women with a higher risk of breast cancer.
Having surgery, known as a preventive mastectomy, to remove healthy breast tissue. Preventive mastectomy has been shown to reduce breast cancer risk by as much as 90 percent in women with a BRCA gene mutation. But this is a major operation, only recommended for women at very high risk for getting cancer.
You should talk with your health care provider to see what steps are best for you.
