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Breast Cancer

Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer: Who Needs It and Why

Lauren Smith, MASanjai Sinha, MD
Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD
Updated on May 15, 2025
Featuring Brenda Panzera, MDReviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD | May 15, 2025

Some people have turned to genetic testing to learn their risk for breast cancer. The hope is that knowing their risk could empower them to manage other risk factors and seek early screening.

“There’s only a small percentage of breast cancers that are diagnosed that we actually believe are genetically linked,” says Brenda Panzera, MD, Oncologist and Hematologist at Lenox Hill and Mount Sinai Hospitals in New York City.

In this video, learn how genetic testing works and who may benefit from it.

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Lauren Smith, MA
Written by:
Lauren Smith, MA
Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Reviewed by:
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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