Research

When to Refer a Patient

We recommend our services in the following instances:

• If your patient has a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation (pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant) or any mutation/alteration in any other related DNA repair genes, such as PALB2, BARD1, BRIP1, RAD50, RAD51C, RAD51D, RAD54L, ATM, ATR, ATRX, any FANCONI anemia genes (e.g. FANCA, FANCB, FANCC), CHEK1, CHEK2, BLM, NBN, and others.
• A variant of uncertain significance (VUS) does not qualify, but if you are unsure whether or not the VUS may have been reclassified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic, please contact us and we will work with you to find out its current status.
• Mutations in BRCA and BRCA-related genes may be present in the germline (i.e., hereditary and detected via genetic testing) or may be present in the tumor, i.e., detected via testing of the tumor using institutional (such as Dana-Farber's Oncopanel), commercially available assays examining tumor DNA, or liquid biopsies, such as from Foundation Medicine or Gardant.
• If your patient has a tumor that has been determined to be homologous recombination deficient (HRD) via a commercially available assay, such as from Myriad or Foundation Medicine.
• If your patient has a family history of multiple people on the same side of the family diagnosed with breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, or other BRCA-related cancers, especially at a young age.
• If you are not sure whether your patient is right for us, do not hesitate to contact us directly to inquire.

How to Refer a Patient

A patient's primary care physician, gynecologist, or community cancer specialist is an integral part of the patient's care team. We are committed to working with you in the long-term care of your patient. Find out more about how to refer a patient to our Center.

For patients and families with Lynch syndrome and Li Fraumeni-related cancers, more information — including trials and therapies — is available from the Lynch Syndrome and Li-Fraumeni Syndrome and TP53 Centers at Dana-Farber.