Vol. 3, Issue 6, Part M (2017)

Abstract
PALB2 has taken its place with genuine/legitimate breast cancer susceptibility genes. It is now well established that women who carry loss-of-function in the PALB2 gene are in the position of similarly elevated breast cancer risks to those who carry mutations in BRCA2. Information about PALB2 is now being used in breast cancer clinical genetics practice and is routinely included in breast cancer predisposition gene panel tests. However, prospective data related to the clinical outcomes of PALB2 mutation carriers is lacking and very little information (beyond mutation penetrance) is available to guide current clinical management for carriers (affected and unaffected by cancer). In addition, clinical classification of the vast array of non-loss-of-function genetic variants identified in PALB2 is in its infancy. These are key areas of current research efforts and are important foundations on which to move information about PALB2 into the accuracy of public health arena.