BRCA1 and breast carcinoma: Since testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 began in the 1990s, there has been keen interest in the psychosocial consequences of genetic testing.1–6 The risk of developing breast cancer by age 80 years is ~72% for BRCA1 mutation carriers and 69% for BRCA2 mutation carriers; the risk for ovarian cancer is 44% for BRCA1 carriers and 17% for BRCA2 carriers.7 Healthy women with a mutation are given information about these risks and have the options of risk-reducing surgery and screening.