Use Of Common Genetic Variants (Single Nucleotide Variants) To Predict Risk Of Nonfamilial Breast Cancer

Several single nucleotide variants (SNVs), which are single base-pair variations in the DNA sequence of the genome, have been found to be associated with breast cancer, and are common in the population, but confer only small increases in risk. Commercially available assays test for several SNVs to predict an individual’s risk of breast cancer relative to the general population. Some of these tests incorporate clinical information into risk prediction algorithms. The intent of this type of test is to identify subjects at increased risk who may benefit from more intensive surveillance.