Bibliography: leaves 457-506. / 2 v. (506 leaves) : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Addresses the problem of giving genetic counselling to parents of a "sporadic" case of severe osteogenesis imperfecta, either of the perinatally lethal or severe deforming variety. / Thesis (M.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Paediatrics, 1994

Due to the costly and technically challenging nature of genetic testing, methods have been developed to target more specifically those who are at increased risk of carrying the Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC) mutation. HNPCC is an inherited colorectal cancer syndrome. Testing of tumour material (which has previously been removed during surgery) for features of HNPCC has been found to be an effective and economic method of identifying those at higher risk of having a mutation. Only those at higher risk of having a mutation will undergo genetic testing. This practice of “tumour testing” has become widespread. / There is currently no clarity about requirements for consent prior to testing of stored tumour tissue. The person giving consent to tumour testing does not always have an appointment with a genetics service prior to giving consent. This can be contrasted to genetic testing on blood samples where laws and guidelines state that informed consent is required prior to genetic testing and that comprehensive genetic counselling and support should be provided as part of this process. Protocols for genetic testing have been developed as a result of extensive research around the impact and implications of genetic testing. / Consumer opinion and participation through research is an important aspect of health policy and guideline development. Accordingly the purpose of this study was to contribute to such development by gaining insight into the experiences, understandings, decision making processes and opinions of those who had given consent to have their own or their relatives tumour tested. Seventeen people who had given consent for tumour testing either for themselves, or on behalf of a deceased relative were recruited through a Familial Cancer Centre and in-depth interviews conducted. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. / Some participants had no memory of consenting to tumour testing. Others remembered basic concepts. Negative implications of testing were unknown or viewed as unimportant. Participants did not understand the difference between tumour testing and germline testing. Despite lack of memory or understanding participants did not want additional or more detailed pre-test information although they did want more follow-up and support after receipt of results. The decision to consent to testing was made as soon as participants were informed of the availability of tumour testing - the major reason being to provide information for the family that would aid in cancer prevention. Participants were more concerned with accessibility to testing than pre test information and counselling. / Findings in this study indicated participants made decisions heuristically rather than systematically and this as well as participants’ opinions and other decision-making research has implications for the traditional view of informed consent around genetic related decisions. This in turn has implications for policy and guidelines in the area. Implications for current practise as a result of findings from this study include ensuring participants understand negative implications of testing and follow up and support of those with negative as well as positive results to tumour testing.

Genetic medicine is an emerging area of healthcare which constantly raises novel ethical challenges in the clinical realm due to its capacity to reveal information that has deeply personal meaning. Genetic tests can reveal more than is strictly essential for immediate medical care because they can diagnose conditions that cannot be cured, treated or effectively managed. The diagnosis of a genetic condition in one individual can have repercussions throughout an extended family, and genetic knowledge has created innovative, technologically driven, reproductive options. For clients of genetic counselling, moral choice does not readily result from uncluttered logic or easy personal preference, nor does it involve the application of sterile principles and laws, but is a much richer process involving personal history and culture, as well as reflection upon personal values, current resources and projected life goals. For these reasons, I question the validity of the exclusive use of a narrow version of Principlism, as it is commonly operationalised, for the medical sub-specialty of clinical genetics. Its heavy emphasis on individual autonomy, which has become synonymous with clinical medicine, does not take into account the fact that most genetic tests have little or no immediate clinical utility, or that genetic medicine is primarily about the way in which genetic conditions pass through families, and management of recurrence risks by choice of reproductive options. Therefore, the aim of this dissertation is to develop and explore a broader contextual moral framework, which is better suited to deliberation about complex ethical dilemmas in clinical genetics, than the current dominant approach which tends to follow a restrictive and non-inclusive application of Principlism. To achieve this aim, I have started with a review of relevant history and socio-political forces that have shaped the current status of the genetic medicine, and examined the evolution of current attitudes that underpin recognition, analysis and management of the ethical challenges in genetic medicine. I have analysed the manner in which Principlism and other normative theories are employed by bioethicists and clinicians in response to ethical dilemmas, and presented an alternative approach which employs a broader contextual ethical framework. I have devised an approach which attends to the importance of both current social opinion, and the tradition of evidence-based medicine, with reference to selected traditions in philosophical analysis. vi In conclusion, I advocate attention to concrete circumstances, which includes recognition of historical development, which has shaped current medical and wider social values, beliefs, norms and attitudes political context, including critical analysis of relevant political motivations social context, particularly situational power structures, trust relationships and relational obligations personal values, resources and experiences of the stakeholder(s) the range of realistically available options for the stakeholder(s) the impact of economic limits, which might be institutional and / or personal And, to achieve this objective of building a ‘thick’ ethical discourse, I propose a series of questions, which can be readily utilised by genetic and non-genetic health professionals as well as other members of society to work towards resolutions that represent a balance of fairness, economic responsibility with scarce resources, and socially acceptability. This approach appropriately attends to the relational and communicative aspects of moral dilemmas in clinical genetics, and is likely to yield more meaningful (and less likely paternalistic) conclusions, which would be of greater value to our morally pluralist society.

Genetic medicine is an emerging area of healthcare which constantly raises novel ethical challenges in the clinical realm due to its capacity to reveal information that has deeply personal meaning. Genetic tests can reveal more than is strictly essential for immediate medical care because they can diagnose conditions that cannot be cured, treated or effectively managed. The diagnosis of a genetic condition in one individual can have repercussions throughout an extended family, and genetic knowledge has created innovative, technologically driven, reproductive options. For clients of genetic counselling, moral choice does not readily result from uncluttered logic or easy personal preference, nor does it involve the application of sterile principles and laws, but is a much richer process involving personal history and culture, as well as reflection upon personal values, current resources and projected life goals. For these reasons, I question the validity of the exclusive use of a narrow version of Principlism, as it is commonly operationalised, for the medical sub-specialty of clinical genetics. Its heavy emphasis on individual autonomy, which has become synonymous with clinical medicine, does not take into account the fact that most genetic tests have little or no immediate clinical utility, or that genetic medicine is primarily about the way in which genetic conditions pass through families, and management of recurrence risks by choice of reproductive options. Therefore, the aim of this dissertation is to develop and explore a broader contextual moral framework, which is better suited to deliberation about complex ethical dilemmas in clinical genetics, than the current dominant approach which tends to follow a restrictive and non-inclusive application of Principlism. To achieve this aim, I have started with a review of relevant history and socio-political forces that have shaped the current status of the genetic medicine, and examined the evolution of current attitudes that underpin recognition, analysis and management of the ethical challenges in genetic medicine. I have analysed the manner in which Principlism and other normative theories are employed by bioethicists and clinicians in response to ethical dilemmas, and presented an alternative approach which employs a broader contextual ethical framework. I have devised an approach which attends to the importance of both current social opinion, and the tradition of evidence-based medicine, with reference to selected traditions in philosophical analysis. vi In conclusion, I advocate attention to concrete circumstances, which includes recognition of historical development, which has shaped current medical and wider social values, beliefs, norms and attitudes political context, including critical analysis of relevant political motivations social context, particularly situational power structures, trust relationships and relational obligations personal values, resources and experiences of the stakeholder(s) the range of realistically available options for the stakeholder(s) the impact of economic limits, which might be institutional and / or personal And, to achieve this objective of building a ‘thick’ ethical discourse, I propose a series of questions, which can be readily utilised by genetic and non-genetic health professionals as well as other members of society to work towards resolutions that represent a balance of fairness, economic responsibility with scarce resources, and socially acceptability. This approach appropriately attends to the relational and communicative aspects of moral dilemmas in clinical genetics, and is likely to yield more meaningful (and less likely paternalistic) conclusions, which would be of greater value to our morally pluralist society.

Introduction: The development of molecular genetic methods has in many fields necessitated their inclusion in routine clinical practice, including ophthalmology. The main aim of this thesis was detailed clinical characterization of Czech patients with suspected inherited corneal disorders, followed by genetic testing to determine or specify their clinical diagnosis and subsequently to use the knowledge gained in clinical and genetic counselling and to apply preventive measures in order to avoid loss of vision. Material and Methods: Individuals included in this research were either followed up or newly referred to the Cornea clinic of the Department of Ophthalmology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague. Detailed clinical examination included corneal tomography, specular microscopy, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, biometry and genealogical analysis. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes or buccal cells. Disease-causing variants were searched for using Sanger or massively parallel sequencing, variant pathogenicity was assessed in silico using various algorithms and by segregation analyses within the families. In some cases assessment of the functional impact on the pre-mRNA splicing process was performed. In patients with...

A miopatia miotubular é uma doença genética congênita que afeta a musculatura esquelética e respiratória, causada por mutações no gene MTM1. Apresenta padrão de herança recessivo ligado ao cromossomo X e frequência estimada de 1/50.000 meninos nascidos vivos. O diagnóstico é geralmente realizado através de biopsia muscular, com presença de fibras pequenas com núcleo central, predominância de fibras do tipo I, concentração de miofibrilas na periferia da fibra e região central ocupada por acúmulos de mitocôndrias e glicogênio. O quadro clínico é bastante grave, com manifestação clínica no período neonatal e óbito nos primeiros meses, ou ano de vida. Os pacientes apresentam hipotonia e fraqueza muscular generalizadas, dificuldade de alimentação, ptose palpebral, oftalmoplegia, hérnia inguinal e criptorquidia. Mulheres portadoras das mutações são geralmente assintomáticas, mas diversos casos de heterozigotas sintomáticas têm sido relatados. Pacientes com miopatias congênitas estruturais vem sendo estudados nos últimos 20 anos no Centro de Pesquisa do Genoma Humano e Células Tronco (CPGH-CEL) da Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Atualmente, em razão do avanço das tecnologias de análise molecular do DNA, como o sequenciamento de nova geração (NGS - Next Generation Sequencing), o diagnóstico tem se tornado cada vez mais preciso. No presente trabalho, pacientes de 12 famílias estudadas no CEGH-CEL foram submetidos à triagem mutacional, utilizando técnica de NGS. Onze mutações foram identificadas (c.109 C>T; c.139_142 delAAAG; c.706 A>T; c.1010 G>A, c.1181 A>G, c.1262 G>A, c.1354 -1 G>C, c.1465_1465delC, c.1467 +1 G>A, c.1528 A>T; c.1528 A>T); entre elas 5 já descritas como patogênicas e 6 são novas. Em duas famílias, foram identificadas 4/8 e 2/4 mulheres portadoras apresentando algum nível de manifestação clínica. A análise de desvio de inativação do X revelou desvio aleatório em pelo menos 4 das heterozigotas manifestantes. Além disso, adicionando os casos deste trabalho aos relatados na literatura, a taxa de penetrância da doença foi estimada em 30% em mulheres heterozigotas, o que é compatível com um padrão de penetrância incompleta e poderia explicar a alta frequência de mulheres manifestantes. Uma análise de exomas foi realizada a fim de identificar possíveis genes modificadores que explicassem a variabilidade clínica observada. Foi identificada uma região de 4,2 Mb contendo genes contíguos no cromossomo 19 que pode estar relacionado à modulação do fenótipo / Myotubular myopathy is a rare congenital muscle genetic disease, caused by mutations in the MTM1 gene. With a X-linked recessive inheritance, the disease affects 1/50.000 living born males. The clinical picture is characteristic and very severe, with manifestation in the neonatal period, including generalized hypotonia and muscle weakness, feeding difficulty, palpebral ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, inguinal hernia, and cryptorchidism. Most affected die in the first few months or year of life, and those who survive often depend on care and assistance to perform activities of daily living, as well as require mechanical ventilation and enteral nutrition. Females carrying the mutations are generally asymptomatic, but several cases of symptomatic heterozygotes have been reported, compared to the low frequency of manifesting carriers in other X-recessive diseases. Patients with structural congenital myopathies have been studied in the last 20 years at the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center (HUG-CELL) at the University of São Paulo (USP). The diagnosis of myotubular myopathy is usually made with muscle biopsy findings, with small fibers with central nuclei, the predominance of type I fibers, the concentration of myofibrils in the periphery of the fiber and central region occupied by accumulations of mitochondria and glycogen. More recently, with the advancement of DNA molecular analysis technologies, such as Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), the diagnosis has become increasingly accurate. In the present study, patients from 12 families studied in the HUG-CEL were submitted to mutation screening using NGS techniques. Eleven mutations were identified (c.109 C> T; c.139_142 delAAAG; c.706 A> T; c.1010 G> A, c.1181 A> G, c.1262 G> A, c.1354-1 G> C, c.1465_1465delC, c.1467 +1 G> A, c.1528 A> T; c.1528 A> T); among them 6 are novel. In two families, 4/8 and 2/4 female carriers were identified, presenting some level of clinical manifestation. Inactivation skewing analysis of the X chromosome revealed random inactivation in at least 4 of the manifesting carriers. In addition, joining the cases of this work to those reported in the literature, the disease penetrance rate was estimated to be 30% in heterozygous women, which is compatible with an incomplete penetrance pattern and could explain the high frequency of manifesting females. An exome analysis was performed to identify possible modifying genes that explain the observed clinical variability. A region of 4,2 Mb containing contiguous genes was identified on chromosome 19 that may be related to phenotype modulation

Objetivo: Até 10% dos casos de câncer de mama estão associados com uma síndrome genética de predisposição ao câncer. A identificação de possíveis portadores dessas síndromes e o consequente encaminhamento para aconselhamento genético permitem a adoção de estratégias direcionadas de prevenção e rastreamento capazes de diminuir morbidade e mortalidade. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a proporção de pacientes com câncer de mama atendidos no Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria (HUSM) que necessitariam ser encaminhados para avaliação genética. Métodos: Pacientes com câncer de mama que iniciaram tratamento oncológico no HUSM durante o ano de 2014 foram considerados elegíveis. Uma entrevista foi conduzida com cada paciente para coleta de dados e exame físico dirigido. O questionário FSH-7 (Family Story Screening 7) e os critérios do NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) foram utilizados para identificar os pacientes que deveriam ser encaminhados para avaliação genética. Estes pacientes foram então avaliados quanto à indicação de teste genético - de acordo com as recomendações do NCCN para teste genético – e à probabilidade de mutações nos genes BRCA1 e BRCA2 através de modelos de predição de risco (BOADICEA, Penn II, sistema de escore de Manchester e tabelas da Myriad). Resultados: Dentre os 114 participantes do estudo, 65 (57%) preenchiam critérios de encaminhamento para avaliação genética de acordo com as diretrizes do NCCN. O questionário FHS-7 apresentou uma sensibilidade de 90% para identificar estes pacientes, com uma especificidade de 85%. A presença de história pessoal ou familiar de câncer de mama antes dos 50 anos foi o critério mais comum para indicar avaliação genética. Em relação aos testes genéticos, 52 pacientes (45%) deveriam ser testados para mutações nos genes BRCA1 e BRCA2 e 4 pacientes (3,5%) possuíam indicação de teste para mutações em TP53, de acordo com as recomendações do NCCN. Utilizando os modelos de predição de risco, 10,2% a 57,1% dos pacientes apresentavam uma probabilidade ≥ 10% de mutações em BRCA1 ou BRCA2. Conclusão: Este estudo revelou que a maioria dos pacientes com câncer de mama atendidos no HUSM possui indicação de encaminhamento para avaliação genética. A utilização de um questionário simples e rápido poderia identificar 90% destes pacientes. / Objective: Up to 10% of breast cancers are associated with a hereditary cancer syndrome. The identification of possible carriers of these syndromes and the subsequent referral for genetic counselling allow the adoption of tailored screening and prevention strategies capable of reducing morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to assess the proportion of patients with breast cancer treated at the University Hospital of Santa Maria (HUSM) that would need to be referred for genetic evaluation. Methods: Breast cancer patients who began cancer treatment at HUSM during the year 2014 were eligible. An interview was conducted with each patient for data collection and targeted physical examination. The FSH-7 (Family Story Screening 7) questionnaire and the NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) criteria were used to identify patients who should be referred for genetic evaluation. Then these patients were assessed for genetic testing criteria - according to the NCCN recommendations for genetic testing - and the likelihood of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations through risk prediction models (BOADICEA, Penn II, Manchester score system and Myriad tables). Results: Among the 114 study participants, 65 (57%) meet referral criteria for genetic evaluation according to the NCCN guidelines. The FHS-7 questionnaire showed a sensitivity of 90% to identify such patients with a specificity of 85%. The presence of personal or family history of breast cancer before age 50 was the most common criteria to indicate genetic evaluation. With respect to genetic testing, 52 patients (45%) should be tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and 4 patients (3.5%) had test indication for TP53 mutations in accordance with the recommendations of the NCCN. Using risk prediction models, 10.2% to 57.1% of patients had a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations probability ≥ 10%. Conclusion: This study showed that most of the patients with breast cancer treated at HUSM have referral indication for genetic evaluation. The use of a fast and simple questionnaire could identify 90% of these patients.

Retosios ligos (RL) – tai ypač mažai paplitusios ligos (gyvybei pavojų keliančios arba lėtai sekinančios ligos), kuriomis Europos Sąjungoje (ES) serga ne daugiau kaip 5 iš 10 000 asmenų. Pirmą kartą terminą „retosios ligos“ 1978 metais pavartojo Neilas A. Holtzmanas. Kiekviena RL ES serga apie 246 000 žmonių. Iš viso RL, kurių žinoma 5 000 – 8 000, kokiu nors gyvenimo etapu suserga apie 6% ES gyventojų ir tai yra 29 – 36 mln. ligonių. Lietuvoje sergančių RL galėtų būti apie 200 000 žmonių. Dauguma RL yra genetinės ligos (jos sudaro 80%), o likusios – kitų kategorijų retos vėžio formos, autoimuninės ligos, įgimtos raidos anomalijos, toksinės ir infekcinės ligos. Habilitacijos procedūrai teikiamų mokslo darbų apžvalgoje nagrinėtos 22 mokslinės publikacijos. Istoriniai šaltiniai apie RL gali būti anatominių preparatų muziejai, antikvarinės knygos medicinine tematika, tautosaka. Apžvalgoje nagrinėta Vilniaus universiteto Medicinos fakulteto anatominių preparatų kolekcija, kurioje nustatytas unikalus žmogaus anotocefalijos atvejis ir 11 kitų nozologinių RL (įgimtų anomalijų) vienetų. Pagrindinės priemonės žinioms apie RL turtinti ir klinikiniams moksliniams tyrimams plėtoti yra registrai ir duomenų bazės. Tai vienintelis būdas kaupti duomenis, kad būtų galima gauti pakankamo dydžio imtis epidemiologiniams ir (arba) klinikiniams tyrimams. Apžvalgoje nagrinėtos autopsijų ir Lietuvos paveldimų ligų ir įgimtų anomalijų (LIRECA) duomenų bazės, kurių analizės metu taikyti statistiniai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Rare diseases (RD) – life menacing or slowly emaciating diseases of extremely low incidence (less than 5 cases in 10,000 EU inhabitants). The term was launched by Neil A. Holtzman in 1978. There are about 5,000 – 8,000 RD, each manifesting itself in some life stage of about 6% of EU population, that amounts from 29 to 36 million people. In Lithuania that would make about 200,000 people. The majority of RD are genetic (80%), the remaining consist of rare cancer forms, autoimmune diseases, inborn developmental anomalies, toxic or contagious illnesses. The author presented an analytical review of 22 publications on RD. Historical indications about RD could be found in anatomical museums, ancient medical books, and folk art. In the collection of anatomical specimens of Medical Faculty of Vilnius University the author has discovered a unique case of human anotocephaly and eleven more nosological entities of RD (congenital anomalies). The main sources for information on RD are registers and data bases. This is the only way to obtain sufficient samples for epidemiologic and/or clinical research. Lithuanian Register of Congenital Anomalies (LIRECA) and autopsies data base were reviewed by the author and analyzed by statistical research models applicable in registration of RD, in particular Poisson linear model and logistic (binomic) regression. Analysis of standardized remainders confirmed their adequacy and suitability. Biological asymmetry was evaluated by analysis of... [to full text]

Objetivo: Até 10% dos casos de câncer de mama estão associados com uma síndrome genética de predisposição ao câncer. A identificação de possíveis portadores dessas síndromes e o consequente encaminhamento para aconselhamento genético permitem a adoção de estratégias direcionadas de prevenção e rastreamento capazes de diminuir morbidade e mortalidade. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a proporção de pacientes com câncer de mama atendidos no Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria (HUSM) que necessitariam ser encaminhados para avaliação genética. Métodos: Pacientes com câncer de mama que iniciaram tratamento oncológico no HUSM durante o ano de 2014 foram considerados elegíveis. Uma entrevista foi conduzida com cada paciente para coleta de dados e exame físico dirigido. O questionário FSH-7 (Family Story Screening 7) e os critérios do NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) foram utilizados para identificar os pacientes que deveriam ser encaminhados para avaliação genética. Estes pacientes foram então avaliados quanto à indicação de teste genético - de acordo com as recomendações do NCCN para teste genético – e à probabilidade de mutações nos genes BRCA1 e BRCA2 através de modelos de predição de risco (BOADICEA, Penn II, sistema de escore de Manchester e tabelas da Myriad). Resultados: Dentre os 114 participantes do estudo, 65 (57%) preenchiam critérios de encaminhamento para avaliação genética de acordo com as diretrizes do NCCN. O questionário FHS-7 apresentou uma sensibilidade de 90% para identificar estes pacientes, com uma especificidade de 85%. A presença de história pessoal ou familiar de câncer de mama antes dos 50 anos foi o critério mais comum para indicar avaliação genética. Em relação aos testes genéticos, 52 pacientes (45%) deveriam ser testados para mutações nos genes BRCA1 e BRCA2 e 4 pacientes (3,5%) possuíam indicação de teste para mutações em TP53, de acordo com as recomendações do NCCN. Utilizando os modelos de predição de risco, 10,2% a 57,1% dos pacientes apresentavam uma probabilidade ≥ 10% de mutações em BRCA1 ou BRCA2. Conclusão: Este estudo revelou que a maioria dos pacientes com câncer de mama atendidos no HUSM possui indicação de encaminhamento para avaliação genética. A utilização de um questionário simples e rápido poderia identificar 90% destes pacientes. / Objective: Up to 10% of breast cancers are associated with a hereditary cancer syndrome. The identification of possible carriers of these syndromes and the subsequent referral for genetic counselling allow the adoption of tailored screening and prevention strategies capable of reducing morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to assess the proportion of patients with breast cancer treated at the University Hospital of Santa Maria (HUSM) that would need to be referred for genetic evaluation. Methods: Breast cancer patients who began cancer treatment at HUSM during the year 2014 were eligible. An interview was conducted with each patient for data collection and targeted physical examination. The FSH-7 (Family Story Screening 7) questionnaire and the NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) criteria were used to identify patients who should be referred for genetic evaluation. Then these patients were assessed for genetic testing criteria - according to the NCCN recommendations for genetic testing - and the likelihood of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations through risk prediction models (BOADICEA, Penn II, Manchester score system and Myriad tables). Results: Among the 114 study participants, 65 (57%) meet referral criteria for genetic evaluation according to the NCCN guidelines. The FHS-7 questionnaire showed a sensitivity of 90% to identify such patients with a specificity of 85%. The presence of personal or family history of breast cancer before age 50 was the most common criteria to indicate genetic evaluation. With respect to genetic testing, 52 patients (45%) should be tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and 4 patients (3.5%) had test indication for TP53 mutations in accordance with the recommendations of the NCCN. Using risk prediction models, 10.2% to 57.1% of patients had a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations probability ≥ 10%. Conclusion: This study showed that most of the patients with breast cancer treated at HUSM have referral indication for genetic evaluation. The use of a fast and simple questionnaire could identify 90% of these patients.

Objetivo: Até 10% dos casos de câncer de mama estão associados com uma síndrome genética de predisposição ao câncer. A identificação de possíveis portadores dessas síndromes e o consequente encaminhamento para aconselhamento genético permitem a adoção de estratégias direcionadas de prevenção e rastreamento capazes de diminuir morbidade e mortalidade. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a proporção de pacientes com câncer de mama atendidos no Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria (HUSM) que necessitariam ser encaminhados para avaliação genética. Métodos: Pacientes com câncer de mama que iniciaram tratamento oncológico no HUSM durante o ano de 2014 foram considerados elegíveis. Uma entrevista foi conduzida com cada paciente para coleta de dados e exame físico dirigido. O questionário FSH-7 (Family Story Screening 7) e os critérios do NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) foram utilizados para identificar os pacientes que deveriam ser encaminhados para avaliação genética. Estes pacientes foram então avaliados quanto à indicação de teste genético - de acordo com as recomendações do NCCN para teste genético – e à probabilidade de mutações nos genes BRCA1 e BRCA2 através de modelos de predição de risco (BOADICEA, Penn II, sistema de escore de Manchester e tabelas da Myriad). Resultados: Dentre os 114 participantes do estudo, 65 (57%) preenchiam critérios de encaminhamento para avaliação genética de acordo com as diretrizes do NCCN. O questionário FHS-7 apresentou uma sensibilidade de 90% para identificar estes pacientes, com uma especificidade de 85%. A presença de história pessoal ou familiar de câncer de mama antes dos 50 anos foi o critério mais comum para indicar avaliação genética. Em relação aos testes genéticos, 52 pacientes (45%) deveriam ser testados para mutações nos genes BRCA1 e BRCA2 e 4 pacientes (3,5%) possuíam indicação de teste para mutações em TP53, de acordo com as recomendações do NCCN. Utilizando os modelos de predição de risco, 10,2% a 57,1% dos pacientes apresentavam uma probabilidade ≥ 10% de mutações em BRCA1 ou BRCA2. Conclusão: Este estudo revelou que a maioria dos pacientes com câncer de mama atendidos no HUSM possui indicação de encaminhamento para avaliação genética. A utilização de um questionário simples e rápido poderia identificar 90% destes pacientes. / Objective: Up to 10% of breast cancers are associated with a hereditary cancer syndrome. The identification of possible carriers of these syndromes and the subsequent referral for genetic counselling allow the adoption of tailored screening and prevention strategies capable of reducing morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to assess the proportion of patients with breast cancer treated at the University Hospital of Santa Maria (HUSM) that would need to be referred for genetic evaluation. Methods: Breast cancer patients who began cancer treatment at HUSM during the year 2014 were eligible. An interview was conducted with each patient for data collection and targeted physical examination. The FSH-7 (Family Story Screening 7) questionnaire and the NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) criteria were used to identify patients who should be referred for genetic evaluation. Then these patients were assessed for genetic testing criteria - according to the NCCN recommendations for genetic testing - and the likelihood of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations through risk prediction models (BOADICEA, Penn II, Manchester score system and Myriad tables). Results: Among the 114 study participants, 65 (57%) meet referral criteria for genetic evaluation according to the NCCN guidelines. The FHS-7 questionnaire showed a sensitivity of 90% to identify such patients with a specificity of 85%. The presence of personal or family history of breast cancer before age 50 was the most common criteria to indicate genetic evaluation. With respect to genetic testing, 52 patients (45%) should be tested for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and 4 patients (3.5%) had test indication for TP53 mutations in accordance with the recommendations of the NCCN. Using risk prediction models, 10.2% to 57.1% of patients had a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations probability ≥ 10%. Conclusion: This study showed that most of the patients with breast cancer treated at HUSM have referral indication for genetic evaluation. The use of a fast and simple questionnaire could identify 90% of these patients.