It is not necessary for all women to be tested for the BRCA gene to determine breast cancer risk. In the article "Why Most Women Shouldn't Undergo BRCA Testing for Breast Cancer Risk" Michael Schroeder talks about why BRCA testing is recommended and why it is not necessary for most women. The BRCA gene is a mutation that was found in women with breast cancer and is passed down creating a higher risk of breast cancer in future generations. According to Dr. Jennifer Litton, an associate professor of breast medical technology, only about 5 to 10 percent of women with breast cancer have a mutated BRCA gene. However, physicians still recommend getting tested if there is family history of having breast cancer. This is a preventative screening if there is a higher risk of the cancer. All women do not need to get the test done if they do not have family history of the mutation or breast cancer. This is interesting because people tend to think if they have the mutation they will definitely get breast cancer or if they have breast cancer they have the gene. This is not necessarily true, the BRCA test is a preventative screening not a definite yes or no of having breast cancer.
http://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2017-01-05/why-most-women-shouldnt-undergo-brca-testing-for-breast-cancer-risk
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/BRCA1
I personally didn't know there was a a gene that could code for breast cancer I thought it was simply heredity. I agree that individuals who have the gene or run in their families should defiantly get tested but I also think that as a woman myself there is always that rare case that someone might not express those two items and still catch it. I rather get checked then to be worry in the end.
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