'Jolie effect' has women sign up for costly genetic tests

'Jolie effect' has women sign up for costly genetic tests

Fear of carrying faulty genes responsible for breast cancer is driving many anxious women in their 30s and 40s to go in for genetic testing in the city.

However, many women who do not fall under the High Risk Group (HRG), seem to be wrongfully advised into it, as huge sums of money are involved in the procedure.

Experts have already coined a new phrase to explain this phenomenon - the Angelina Jolie effect. After the actor went public with her double mastectomy carried out in May last year, genetic testing became popular.

Industry experts reveal that frantic calls have bombarded them ever since. Though some women have been rightfully asked to undergo the procedure or to take the genetic test. Some women were wrongfully asked to take the test even though they did not belong to the High Risk Group (HRG)

For instance, a 32-year-old NRI lecturer settled in Dubai, was asked to undergo genetic testing three weeks ago as her mother had contracted it at the age of 50. Anxious, she consulted an expert from the city, who told her not to consider the procedure as she did not come under the HRG. "The media hype surrounding Angelina Jolie's mastectomy made many turn to us but I did not advise genetic testing to any, as it is not like any other routine investigation," says Amit K Jotwani, consultant radiation oncologist at Yashoda Hospital.

However, sources say this did not stop independent testing centres, corporate hospitals and even outsourcing diagnostic laboratories from cashing in on the opportunity.

The cost for the genetic testing varies from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 50,000. Some diagnostic centres work on an outsourcing basis, they merely collect samples and send them to genetic testing centres. Such centres mostly run on a commission basis.

"The genetic test should be considered in HRG cases, where there is significant family history of breast cancer, but it is unethical to recommend to a women bracketed under average risk group (ARG)," said Dr. P. Raghu Ram, president elect, Association of Breast Surgeons of India. He further says that even in HRG cases, genetic test should be advised only after through genetic counseling by trained professionals.

P Raghu Ram enlists a few cases of people belonging to the high risk group, when one or more family members developed breast cancer before the age of 40, two or more close relatives who have had breast cancer at any age, male relative whose had breast cancer, close relatives whose had breast cancer and others who have had ovarian cancer.

He argues that 'close monitoring' is a better option than the costlier genetics test, as the former is cheaper as it involves only a combination of MRI scans and mammograms to detect early signs of breast cancer.

However, Dr C Sai Ram, senior oncologist at MNJ Institute of Oncology, opined that with advances in technology, even genetics test would be affordable. "Sometime back, it costed Rs 1 lakh but now it costs up to Rs 50, 000," said Dr Sai Ram.