How to spot heritable breast cancer: a primary care physician's guide.

Because breast cancer is common, primary care physicians will encounter many patients who have a personal or family history of it. Many patients may benefit from referral to a cancer genetics program for assessment, genetic counseling, and consideration of genetic testing. This article discusses the complexities of risk assessment in cancer genetics (focusing on breast cancer), and highlights the primary care physician's role in identifying and caring for patients at risk.