If you have a significant family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer and you’re interested in genetic testing, it is recommended that a relative who has had breast or ovarian cancer be tested first. If your family member with cancer is tested and found to have an abnormality in one of these genes, other relatives with or without cancer may be tested for that specific genetic mutation.

If you then test negative for the genetic mutation that is known to be present in the family, your chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer is probably no higher than the risk faced by an individual without a significant family history. If you test positive, your risk for developing breast or ovarian cancer is substantially increased, but still not 100 percent.