Emotional distress, Guilt and Impact on Reproductive Decision-Making in Women with BRCA1/2 Mutations

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed carcinoma among women worldwide and remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality in females [1]. Approximately 5–10% of all breast cancers are associated with hereditary genetic mutations, among which BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the most investigated genes. Pathogenic variants in these genes confer a lifetime breast cancer risk ranging from 41% to 90% and an ovarian cancer risk ranging from 20% to 48.3% [2], in addition to increased risks for other malignancies.