Risks having the BRCA (Gene) test

There's really no medical risk associated with being tested for a BRCA gene mutation. Rather, risks are tied to the emotional, financial, medical and social implications of your test results.

If you test positive for a BRCA gene mutation, you may face:

Feelings of anxiety, anger, sadness or depression
Concerns over possible insurance discrimination
Strained family relationships over learning of a familial genetic mutation
Difficult decisions about preventive measures that have long-term consequences
Feelings of "inevitability" that you'll get cancer

On the other hand, if you test negative for a BRCA mutation or your results aren't clear-cut, you may experience:

Uncertainty and concern that your result may not be a true negative result
"Survivor guilt" if your family has a known gene mutation that may affect your loved ones

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