The research, conducted at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, found high rates of ovarian and breast cancer whether or not there was family history of the disease. Of the randomly selected women and men who tested positively for the genetic mutation in the BRCA genes, about half had a history of cancer in the family while the other half did not.
Ephrat Levy-Lahad, who lead the research team, said the research suggests that all women of Ashkenazi descent should get tested for the genetic mutations. “This should be offered as a universal screening test,” she told the New York Times.
While recognizing the validity of the research done by the Shaare Zedek team, experts on Jewish genetic screenings in the U.S. are still hesitant to make the screenings universal.
Read the full story at The Jewish Week.
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.