Advancing its mission to expand access to genetic testing, Myriad Genetics, Inc., genetic testing and precision medicine provider, has launched a new version of its MyRisk Hereditary Cancer Test. Now, women of all ancestries can receive a personalized breast cancer risk assessment.
In addition, women who previously took the MyRisk test and were unable to benefit from RiskScore due to genetic ancestry, will now be offered complimentary retesting by Myriad Genetics.
Since 2017, the MyRisk test has included a polygenic breast cancer risk assessment (RiskScore) for women who test negative for gene mutations known to put them at risk for several cancers. The assessment provides women with a clinically validated, five-year and remaining lifetime breast cancer risk calculation.
“I am proud of Myriad’s commitment and investment in innovation that serves our patients of all ancestries.” said Nicole Lambert, president of Myriad Genetic Laboratories. “All women deserve to know their precise risk to develop breast cancer and the power to choose how to manage that risk.”
Together, MyRisk with RiskScore offers a breast cancer risk assessment designed to improve patient outcomes and help minimize healthcare disparities. RiskScore results are informed by a combination of genetic markers, clinical and biological variables, personal and family history, and ancestry-specific data. RiskScore is available at no additional cost to women who take the MyRisk test.
“All women in the U.S. should have equal access to the insights that genetic testing provides,” said Monique Gary, DO, FACS, breast surgeon and patient advocate at Grand View Health in Sellersville, Pa. “As a doctor, improving health outcomes has always been my mission. Women and the physicians whom they trust for guidance will now have access to an assessment tool that considers the unique genetic makeup of different ethnicities, providing vital information that can help save lives.”
Approximately 95% of women who test negative for high-risk gene mutations with MyRisk have additional breast cancer risk factors that still need to be managed. The RiskScore component of MyRisk helps women and their physicians assess those added risk factors. An estimated 56% of patients who undergo MyRisk testing and receive a RiskScore result, qualify for medical management changes, such as increased cancer surveillance or intervention.
Working with industry researchers, Myriad Genetics assessed data from more than 275,000 women to validate the use of an enhanced method for assessing polygenic breast cancer risk assessments in women across ancestries. The research was presented at the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.
