Breast cancer risk for transgender men with inherited BRCA mutations

There is little information related to the risks and treatment options for transgender men and nonbinary people who are at high-risk for breast cancer due to an inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. This article reviews an expert viewpoint on the implications of a BRCA mutation for transgender men undergoing breast removal as part of their gender-affirming care plan.

Several issues are discussed. To read the full article, click here.

Conclusions: Transgender men and nonbinary people assigned female at birth who have an increased risk of breast cancer due to an inherited mutation should discuss screening and risk reduction with their health care providers as early in their transition as possible. Those who do not know their genetic risk profile but who have a family history of breast cancer should consider genetic testing before they undergo any surgery or gender-affirming hormonal therapy. Depending on the results, pre-surgical screening may be a good idea.

The frequency and type of post-transition screening will depend on your age, the amount of breast tissue you have after surgery, and the hormone treatments you choose going forward.  It is important to discuss your risk and screening recommendations with your healthcare providers based on the amount of residual breast tissue.