{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,18]],"date-time":"2026-04-18T12:26:37Z","timestamp":1776515197273,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,30]],"date-time":"2024-06-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1719705600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Current Oncology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Breast units (BUs) provide breast cancer (BC) care, including prevention, treatment, and genetic assessment. Genetic research has highlighted BRCA1\/2 mutations as key hereditary BC risk factors. BRCA testing is crucial for personalized treatment and prevention strategies. However, the integration of BRCA testing in Italian BUs faces multiple challenges. This study, by Senonetwork Italia, aimed to evaluate genetic testing practices and identify obstacles within Italian BUs. Methods: Senonetwork Italia conducted a 16-question web-based survey involving 153 BUs. The survey assessed aspects of BRCA testing, including timing, urgency, counseling, patient selection, and multi-gene panels. Results: Of the 153 BUs, 109 (71.2%) responded. Testing before surgery was performed by 70.6% of centers, with urgent cases acknowledged by 87.2%. Most centers (56.0%) arranged urgent pre-test counseling within a week. BRCA mutation status influenced treatment decisions in 99.1% of cases. Multi-gene panels were used by 33.0% of centers for all genetic counseling cases, while 56.0% followed standard referral criteria. The main challenges included cost, reimbursement, and reporting timelines. Conclusions: This survey highlights significant variations in BRCA testing practices across Italian BUs and identifies key logistical and financial challenges. There is a need for standardized practices of genetic testing to ensure personalized and effective BC management in Italy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol31070282","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,3]],"date-time":"2024-07-03T09:23:59Z","timestamp":1719998639000},"page":"3815-3825","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["BRCA Testing for Patients Treated in Italy: A National Survey of Breast Centers Associated with Senonetwork"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"31","author":[{"given":"Corrado","family":"Tinterri","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8861-5223","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Damiano","family":"Gentile","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Caruso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"HICC Humanitas Istituto Clinico Catanese, 95045 Misterbianco, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8950-8561","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura","family":"Cortesi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria di Modena, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9009-1572","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michelino","family":"De Laurentiis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dipartimento di Oncologia Senologica, Istituto Nazionale Tumori \u201cFondazione PASCALE\u201d, 80131 Napoli, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lucio","family":"Fortunato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Breast Centre, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni-Addolorata, 00184 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1692-6348","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Donatella","family":"Santini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero, Universitaria di Bologna Policlinico di Sant\u2019Orsola, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daniela","family":"Turchetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Medical Genetics Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2525-3787","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alberta","family":"Ferrari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo di Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1374-1831","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alberto","family":"Zambelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"name":"Senonetwork Italia Breast Centre Responders","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3579","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejca.2013.07.017","article-title":"The Requirements of a Specialist Breast Centre","volume":"49","author":"Wilson","year":"2013","journal-title":"Eur. 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