For American women, breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Each year, more than 180,000 women in the United States learn that they have breast cancer.

Some kinds of cancer, such as breast cancer, seem to run in families. There is a test that may tell some people if they are at risk for this kind of breast cancer. Before getting tested, however, there are many factors to consider.

For more information about cancer and genetic testing, you should talk to a doctor or other health care professionals trained in genetics or call the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER.

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