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This article provides an annual update of Korean breast cancer statistics, including the incidence, tumor stage, type of surgical treatment, and mortality. The data was collected from the Korean Breast Cancer Society registry system and Korean Central Cancer Registry.In 2019, 29,729 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer has continued to increase in incidence since 2002 and been the most common cancer in Korean women since 2019. Of the newly diagnosed cases in 2019, 24,820 (83.5%) were of invasive carcinomas, and 4,909 (16.5%) were of carcinoma in situ. The median age of women with breast cancer was 52.8 years, and breast cancer was most commonly diagnosed in the age group of 40–49 years. The number of patients who have undergone breast conserving surgery has continued to increase since 2016, with 68.6% of patients undergoing breast conserving surgery in 2019. The incidence of early-stage breast cancer continues to increase, with stage 0 or I breast cancer accounting for 61.6% of cases. The most common subtype of breast cancer is the hormone receptor-positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative subtype (63.1%). The 5-year relative survival rate of patients with breast cancer from 2015 to 2019 was 93.6%, with an increase of 14.3% compared to that from 1993 to 1995. This report improves our understanding of breast cancer characteristics in South Korea.
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Purpose@#Totally implantable venous access ports (TIVAPs) can be used long-term for safe administration of intravenous drugs. TIVAP complications include catheter-related infections, venous thrombosis, extravasation, TIVAP migration, and pain. The relationship between the timing of the first chemotherapy administration after port implantation and complications is controversial. This study aimed to investigate the safety of immediate use of TIVAPs and the associated risk factors for complications. @*Methods@#Between January 2016 and December 2018, 305 patients (median age, 53 years; 256 women) who underwent TIVAP placement at our institution were included. Chemotherapy was administered within 2 days of implantation. A retrospective analysis of patients’ clinical data was performed to investigate catheter days and complications of TIVAPs. @*Results@#Overall, 305 patients were evaluated over 57,324 catheter days (median, 168 catheter days; interquartile range, 105). The median interval between placement and first use of TIVAPs was 0.98 days. The overall morbidity rate was 2.95%. Nine complications occurred in nine patients, including TIVAP-related infection (4), pain (2), port occlusion (1), thrombosis (1), and scar disunion (1), of which five required port removal (1.64%). The median number of catheter days before complications occurred was 61 (range, 10–457 days; interquartile range, 51). No complications occurred within 7 days of implantation. Body mass index was an independent risk factor for TIVAP-related complications in the Cox proportional hazards model (multivariable analysis: hazard ratio, 1.221; 95% confidence interval, 1.054–1.414; P = 0.008). @*Conclusion@#This study suggests the safe long-term use of TIVAPs following their immediate chemotherapy administration within 2 days of implantation.
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Purpose@#Raloxifene is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), and raloxifene treatment for osteoporosis is reimbursable under the Korean National Health Insurance.Evidence suggests that SERMs use reduces the risk of breast cancer in Asian population.Herein, we retrospectively investigated the protective effect of raloxifene on breast cancer rates in Korean population. @*Methods@#Using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database, we selected women with osteoporosis aged 50 years and above. Patients treated for at least 2 years with raloxifene were assigned to the user group, whereas the remaining patients were assigned to the non-user group. The effect on breast cancer risk was assessed using the Cox proportionalhazards model with a time-dependent covariate to adjust for immortal time bias. @*Results@#A total of 322,870 women who were registered between 2010 and 2011 were included.The user group comprised 0.7% (n = 2,307) of the total population. The mean age was 65.7 ± 8.0 years and 67.2 ± 8.6 years in the user and non-user groups, respectively (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the previous use of estrogen replacement between the 2 groups (p = 0.087). The incidence of breast cancer per 1,000 person-years was 0.49 (n = 8) and 0.68 (n = 1,714) in the user and non-user groups, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32–1.27). HR decreased with increase in the treatment duration, but this change was not statistically significant (HR, 1.00, 95% CI, 0.32–3.11 in 2–3 years; HR, 0.63, 95% CI, 0.20–1.94 in 3–4 years; and HR, 0.41, 95% CI, 0.10–1.65 in 4–5 years). @*Conclusion@#Long-term treatment with raloxifene in women with osteoporosis was not significantly associated with a reduction in breast cancer rates. However, further investigation is required for a conclusive proof.
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Purpose@#Physicians' awareness of their cancer patients' unmet needs is an essential element for providing effective treatment. This study investigated the accuracy of physicians' awareness of breast cancer survivors' unmet needs in Korea. @*Methods@#A cross-sectional interview survey was performed among 106 physicians and 320 Korean breast cancer survivors. The Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool was administered to physicians and cancer survivors after obtaining their written informed consent to participate. Data were analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis. @*Results@#The level of unmet needs was highest in the hospital service domain (mean ± standard deviation: 2.19 ± 0.82), and the top-ranked unmet need item was “wished my doctor to be easy, specific, and honest in his/her explanation” (2.44 ± 0.93). Higher unmet needs were correlated with the presence of a genetic counseling clinic. They were not associated with age, sex, marital status, religion, department, working period, type of institution, number of staff, and number of operations. In multiple regression analysis, the presence of a genetic counseling clinic was associated with a higher level of recognition for psychological problems, social support, hospital service, and information and education needs. Physicians overestimated breast cancer survivors' unmet needs in all domains, compared to their selfreported unmet needs. The discordance in the perceived unmet needs was highest in the ‘family/personal relationship problems’ domain. @*Conclusions@#Physicians who treat Korean breast cancer survivors rated the level of unmet needs of breast cancer survivors as highest in the hospital service domain. The presence of a genetic counseling clinic in physicians' institutions was associated with a higher perception of survivors' unmet needs. Physicians overestimated the level of unmet needs in Korean breast cancer survivors. Efforts to reduce these discordances are needed to implement optimal survivorship care.
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Postoperative pyoderma gangrenosum (PPG) is rare, and its diagnosis is often delayed because of its wound infection-mimicking course. A 53-year-old breast cancer patient who underwent breast-conserving surgery of the right breast presented with fever, leukocytosis, C-reactive protein elevation, and redness of the right breast on postoperative day (POD) 3. The breast wound showed desquamation with painful ulcerative changes from POD 6, and fever was sustained under antibiotic administration. Wound irrigation was attempted; however, inflammatory skin damage progressed to involvement of the entire skin overlying the breast. With clinical suspicion of PPG, skin biopsy and systemic corticosteroid initiation were performed on POD 12. Wound damage progression ceased, and the systemic inflammation subsided. The patient underwent split-thickness skin grafting under intravenous corticosteroid administration, and the wound healed after 30 days. PPG is a rare clinical scenario. Early diagnosis is critical to avoid unnecessary treatment and aggravation of the surgical wound.
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Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in Korean women, and its incidence continues to increase. The Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) established a nationwide breast cancer database through its online enrollment program in 1996. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of breast cancer in Korea, and to assess the pattern of changes in breast cancer management in 2018. We analyzed the KBCS and Korea Central Cancer Registry (KCCR) databases in 2018. In 2018, 28,157 patients were newly diagnosed with breast cancer, of whom 4,510 had noninvasive breast cancer and 23,647 had invasive breast cancer. The age-standardized rate of breast cancer in 2018 was 79.0 per 100,000 women (65.6 invasive, 13.4 noninvasive). The median age of female patients diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 was 52 years, and the incidence of breast cancer was the highest in the 40–49-years age group (9,432 patients, 33.6%). The proportion of patients with stage 0 and stage I breast cancer continued to increase, accounting for 63.8% of cases, and breast-conserving surgery was performed more often than mastectomy (66.2% vs. 33.0%). The most common subtypes of breast cancer were hormone receptor [HR]-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-negative types (65.9% of cases), while the HR-negative and HER2-positive types accounted for 9.2% of cases. According to the KCCR data, from 2014 to 2018, the 5-year relative survival rate of patients with breast cancer was 93.3%, which was 14.0% higher than that from 1993 to 1995 (79.3%). The clinical characteristics of breast cancer in Korea have been changing, and national databases can improve our understanding of the disease characteristics of Korean women. Therefore, updating the KBCS registry is important for the effective management of breast cancer in Korea.
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Purpose@#As the survival rates of cancer patients have been increasing due to early diagnosis and technological advances in treatment, their caregiver burden has also emerged as an important issue. In view of this situation, this study aims to investigate the unmet needs and quality of life of caregivers of Korean breast cancer survivors. @*Methods@#A multicenter cross-sectional interview survey was performed among 160 caregivers of Korean breast cancer survivors. Caregivers who gave written informed consent to participate completed the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool for Cancer Caregivers and EuroQol-5 Dimensions. @*Results@#The mean age of the caregivers was 46.4 years, 44.4% (71 of 160) were spouses of patients, and 52.5% (84 of 160) were personally taking care of cancer survivors. Unmet needs were highest in the ‘healthcare staff’ domain and the item with the highest level of unmet needs was ‘needed information about the current status of the patient’s illness and its future courses.’ Poorer quality of life was closely related to higher levels of unmet needs. In multiple regression analysis, older age, employment, the presence of religion, and higher levels of stress and despair in daily life were associated with higher levels of unmet needs. @*Conclusion@#The most prevalent unmet need in Korean breast cancer caregivers was found in the ‘healthcare staff’ domain, and their quality of life was closely related to unmet needs. Therefore, healthcare staff is required to make efforts to accurately identify breast cancer caregivers vulnerable in terms of unmet needs and address their unmet needs.
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Purpose@#Raloxifene is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), and raloxifene treatment for osteoporosis is reimbursable under the Korean National Health Insurance.Evidence suggests that SERMs use reduces the risk of breast cancer in Asian population.Herein, we retrospectively investigated the protective effect of raloxifene on breast cancer rates in Korean population. @*Methods@#Using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database, we selected women with osteoporosis aged 50 years and above. Patients treated for at least 2 years with raloxifene were assigned to the user group, whereas the remaining patients were assigned to the non-user group. The effect on breast cancer risk was assessed using the Cox proportionalhazards model with a time-dependent covariate to adjust for immortal time bias. @*Results@#A total of 322,870 women who were registered between 2010 and 2011 were included.The user group comprised 0.7% (n = 2,307) of the total population. The mean age was 65.7 ± 8.0 years and 67.2 ± 8.6 years in the user and non-user groups, respectively (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the previous use of estrogen replacement between the 2 groups (p = 0.087). The incidence of breast cancer per 1,000 person-years was 0.49 (n = 8) and 0.68 (n = 1,714) in the user and non-user groups, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32–1.27). HR decreased with increase in the treatment duration, but this change was not statistically significant (HR, 1.00, 95% CI, 0.32–3.11 in 2–3 years; HR, 0.63, 95% CI, 0.20–1.94 in 3–4 years; and HR, 0.41, 95% CI, 0.10–1.65 in 4–5 years). @*Conclusion@#Long-term treatment with raloxifene in women with osteoporosis was not significantly associated with a reduction in breast cancer rates. However, further investigation is required for a conclusive proof.
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Purpose@#Physicians' awareness of their cancer patients' unmet needs is an essential element for providing effective treatment. This study investigated the accuracy of physicians' awareness of breast cancer survivors' unmet needs in Korea. @*Methods@#A cross-sectional interview survey was performed among 106 physicians and 320 Korean breast cancer survivors. The Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool was administered to physicians and cancer survivors after obtaining their written informed consent to participate. Data were analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis. @*Results@#The level of unmet needs was highest in the hospital service domain (mean ± standard deviation: 2.19 ± 0.82), and the top-ranked unmet need item was “wished my doctor to be easy, specific, and honest in his/her explanation” (2.44 ± 0.93). Higher unmet needs were correlated with the presence of a genetic counseling clinic. They were not associated with age, sex, marital status, religion, department, working period, type of institution, number of staff, and number of operations. In multiple regression analysis, the presence of a genetic counseling clinic was associated with a higher level of recognition for psychological problems, social support, hospital service, and information and education needs. Physicians overestimated breast cancer survivors' unmet needs in all domains, compared to their selfreported unmet needs. The discordance in the perceived unmet needs was highest in the ‘family/personal relationship problems’ domain. @*Conclusions@#Physicians who treat Korean breast cancer survivors rated the level of unmet needs of breast cancer survivors as highest in the hospital service domain. The presence of a genetic counseling clinic in physicians' institutions was associated with a higher perception of survivors' unmet needs. Physicians overestimated the level of unmet needs in Korean breast cancer survivors. Efforts to reduce these discordances are needed to implement optimal survivorship care.
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Postoperative pyoderma gangrenosum (PPG) is rare, and its diagnosis is often delayed because of its wound infection-mimicking course. A 53-year-old breast cancer patient who underwent breast-conserving surgery of the right breast presented with fever, leukocytosis, C-reactive protein elevation, and redness of the right breast on postoperative day (POD) 3. The breast wound showed desquamation with painful ulcerative changes from POD 6, and fever was sustained under antibiotic administration. Wound irrigation was attempted; however, inflammatory skin damage progressed to involvement of the entire skin overlying the breast. With clinical suspicion of PPG, skin biopsy and systemic corticosteroid initiation were performed on POD 12. Wound damage progression ceased, and the systemic inflammation subsided. The patient underwent split-thickness skin grafting under intravenous corticosteroid administration, and the wound healed after 30 days. PPG is a rare clinical scenario. Early diagnosis is critical to avoid unnecessary treatment and aggravation of the surgical wound.
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Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in Korean women, and its incidence continues to increase. The Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) established a nationwide breast cancer database through its online enrollment program in 1996. This study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of breast cancer in Korea, and to assess the pattern of changes in breast cancer management in 2018. We analyzed the KBCS and Korea Central Cancer Registry (KCCR) databases in 2018. In 2018, 28,157 patients were newly diagnosed with breast cancer, of whom 4,510 had noninvasive breast cancer and 23,647 had invasive breast cancer. The age-standardized rate of breast cancer in 2018 was 79.0 per 100,000 women (65.6 invasive, 13.4 noninvasive). The median age of female patients diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 was 52 years, and the incidence of breast cancer was the highest in the 40–49-years age group (9,432 patients, 33.6%). The proportion of patients with stage 0 and stage I breast cancer continued to increase, accounting for 63.8% of cases, and breast-conserving surgery was performed more often than mastectomy (66.2% vs. 33.0%). The most common subtypes of breast cancer were hormone receptor [HR]-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-negative types (65.9% of cases), while the HR-negative and HER2-positive types accounted for 9.2% of cases. According to the KCCR data, from 2014 to 2018, the 5-year relative survival rate of patients with breast cancer was 93.3%, which was 14.0% higher than that from 1993 to 1995 (79.3%). The clinical characteristics of breast cancer in Korea have been changing, and national databases can improve our understanding of the disease characteristics of Korean women. Therefore, updating the KBCS registry is important for the effective management of breast cancer in Korea.
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Purpose@#As the survival rates of cancer patients have been increasing due to early diagnosis and technological advances in treatment, their caregiver burden has also emerged as an important issue. In view of this situation, this study aims to investigate the unmet needs and quality of life of caregivers of Korean breast cancer survivors. @*Methods@#A multicenter cross-sectional interview survey was performed among 160 caregivers of Korean breast cancer survivors. Caregivers who gave written informed consent to participate completed the Comprehensive Needs Assessment Tool for Cancer Caregivers and EuroQol-5 Dimensions. @*Results@#The mean age of the caregivers was 46.4 years, 44.4% (71 of 160) were spouses of patients, and 52.5% (84 of 160) were personally taking care of cancer survivors. Unmet needs were highest in the ‘healthcare staff’ domain and the item with the highest level of unmet needs was ‘needed information about the current status of the patient’s illness and its future courses.’ Poorer quality of life was closely related to higher levels of unmet needs. In multiple regression analysis, older age, employment, the presence of religion, and higher levels of stress and despair in daily life were associated with higher levels of unmet needs. @*Conclusion@#The most prevalent unmet need in Korean breast cancer caregivers was found in the ‘healthcare staff’ domain, and their quality of life was closely related to unmet needs. Therefore, healthcare staff is required to make efforts to accurately identify breast cancer caregivers vulnerable in terms of unmet needs and address their unmet needs.
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Purpose@#High incidence of osteoporosis has been reported in breast cancer patients due to early menopause triggered by adjuvant treatment and temporary ovarian function suppression. In this study, we sought to determine whether long-term breast cancer survivors had an elevated risk of low bone density compared to the general population. @*Methods@#Long-term breast cancer survivors who had been treated for more than 5 years were selected for this study. Data were obtained from medical records and using a questionnaire from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). An agematched non-cancer control group was selected from the KNHANES records. Incidence of fracture and bone mineral density (BMD) were compared between the two groups. @*Results@#In total, 74 long-term breast cancer survivors and 296 non-cancer controls were evaluated. The incidence of fracture did not differ between the two groups (P=0.130). No differences were detected in lumbar BMD (P=0.051) following adjustment for body mass index, while hip BMD was significantly lower in breast cancer survivors (P=0.028). Chemotherapy and endocrine treatment were not related to low BMD in breast cancer survivors. In more than half of the survivors, the 10-year risk of osteoporotic fracture was less than 1%. @*Conclusion@#Long-term breast cancer survivors had low bone density but a comparable risk of fracture compared to non-cancer agematched controls. Further studies on the factors related to low bone density in long-term breast cancer survivors are required.
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This article describes the breast cancer statistics in Korea, including the incidence, type of surgical procedure, stage, and molecular subtype, using the Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) and Korea Central Cancer Registry data. There were a total of 26,534 new breast cancer diagnoses in 2017 in Korea, of which 4,139 were carcinoma in situ cases and 22,395 were invasive cancer cases. The age standardized rate of breast cancer was 75.3 per 100,000 women in 2017 (63.0 of invasive carcinoma and 12.3 of carcinoma in situ), and it has been steadily increasing across all age groups. Breast cancer occurred most commonly in the 40–49 age group. Compared to 2016, breast conserving surgery (BCS) has increased, and 67.4% of patients were treated with BCS in 2017. The proportions of stage 0 and stage I have continued to increase, accounting for 60.7%. The most common subtype of breast cancer was hormone receptor (HR) positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) negative type comprising 65.9% of the cases, whereas HR negative and HER2 positive type was the rarest comprising 10.2% of the cases. The 5-year relative survival rate of breast cancer patients had increased by 14.0% from 79.2% in 1993–1995 to 93.2% in 2013–2017. It is essential to actively enter breast cancer data into the KBCS registry to improve our understanding.
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Bariatric patients are at risk of diverse complications, such as bowel obstruction, internal hernia, and mesenteric thrombosis, which can result in massive small bowel resection with short bowel syndrome (SBS) as a consequence. In this study a case of an internal hernia after childbirth in a 36-year-old patient with a history of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is reported. An emergency laparotomy revealed an internal hernia in Petersen’s space with volvulus, causing extensive small bowel infarction and necrosis. SBS is a complicated multifaceted syndrome which requires a multidisciplinary approach, such as medical, nutritional, and pharmaceutical therapies, to optimize fluid and nutrient absorption over long-term monitoring and with revisions of the care plan. To reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with an internal hernia and volvulus, clinicians must be acutely aware of a potential SBS diagnosis and not delay surgical exploration, even if the vital signs, laboratory results, and imaging studies are normal.
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Bariatric patients are at risk of diverse complications, such as bowel obstruction, internal hernia, and mesenteric thrombosis, which can result in massive small bowel resection with short bowel syndrome (SBS) as a consequence. In this study a case of an internal hernia after childbirth in a 36-year-old patient with a history of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery is reported. An emergency laparotomy revealed an internal hernia in Petersen’s space with volvulus, causing extensive small bowel infarction and necrosis. SBS is a complicated multifaceted syndrome which requires a multidisciplinary approach, such as medical, nutritional, and pharmaceutical therapies, to optimize fluid and nutrient absorption over long-term monitoring and with revisions of the care plan. To reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with an internal hernia and volvulus, clinicians must be acutely aware of a potential SBS diagnosis and not delay surgical exploration, even if the vital signs, laboratory results, and imaging studies are normal.
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This article was initially published on the Journal of Breast Cancer with a misspelled legend display in Figure 3. The postmenopause and premenopause should be changed with each other.
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The Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS) has established a nationwide breast cancer database using an online registration program in 1996. The present study aimed to analyze the basic findings and trends of breast cancer in Korea in 2015 using the data provided by the Korea Central Cancer Registry and the KBCS. In 2015, a total of 22,550 patients were newly diagnosed with breast cancer, of which 3,331 were carcinoma in situ cases and 19,219 were invasive cancer cases. The incidence rate of breast cancer in Korea has steadily increased since the nationwide database was established, and the crude rate and age-standardized rate including that of carcinoma in situ, were 88.1 and 66.0 cases per 100,000 women, respectively. In terms of age, the incidence of breast cancer was the highest in the 40–49-year-old age group (7,889 patients, 35.0%). With regard to surgical procedure, breast-conserving surgery was frequently performed (62.3%). However, the rate of mastectomy has been gradually increasing since 2012, that is, from 32.3% in 2014 to 36.1% in 2015. The rate of early breast cancer has continued to increase, and that of stages III and IV breast cancer was only 9.1% at the time of diagnosis. However, the 5-year survival rate of patients with carcinoma in situ from 2011 to 2015 was 92.3%, which was 14.4% higher than that from 1993 to 1995 (77.9%). Analysis of data from the nationwide registry of breast cancer will not only help to understand the characteristics of breast cancer in individuals in Korea, but will also significantly contribute to the treatment and research of breast cancer. Therefore, a high quality database for breast cancer in Korea must be established by further initiating registration project and establishing an objective legal basis.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Carcinoma in Situ , Diagnosis , Epidemiology , Incidence , Korea , Mastectomy , Mastectomy, Segmental , Registries , Survival RateABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Primary prophylaxis with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor can effectively prevent febrile neutropenia (FN) during breast cancer treatment. The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of FN and the ANC profile in patients undergoing chemotherapy and pegfilgrastim primary prophylaxis. METHODS: Patients receiving 6 cycles of adjuvant docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide (TAC) chemotherapy were included in this study. Pegfilgrastim was administered with analgesics 24 hours after treatment. Laboratory tests were performed on day 0 (before chemotherapy) and ANC was measured daily starting day 5 until it were restored to 1,000/mm3. Bone pain was checked via the numeral rating scale (NRS). RESULTS: A total of 61 patients and 366 cycles were evaluated. Mean age was 49.2 ± 7.1 years. FN was seen in 5 patients (16.4%) and 12 cycles (3.3%) with pegfilgrastim. Grades 3 and 4 neutropenia was seen in 91.5% of cycles with FN. The ANC nadir was most commonly seen at day 7 and the mean ANC nadir depth was 265.7/m3. Age was negatively correlated with nadir depth (r = −0.137, P = 0.009). Severe pain higher than NRS 7 occurred in less than 20% of patients after the administration of pegfilgrastim. CONCLUSION: Incidence of FN was low during the chemotherapy by primary prophylaxis with pegfilgrastim. The ANC nadir was seen on day 7 after chemotherapy. Bone pain with pegfilgrastim was well tolerated during TAC chemotherapy.
Subject(s)
Humans , Analgesics , Breast Neoplasms , Breast , Chemotherapy, Adjuvant , Cyclophosphamide , Doxorubicin , Drug Therapy , Febrile Neutropenia , Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor , Incidence , NeutropeniaABSTRACT
Lack of awareness, the stigma of carrying a genetic mutation, and economic factors are barriers to acceptance of BRCA genetic testing or appropriate risk management. We aimed to investigate the influence of Angelina Jolie's announcement of her medical experience and also health insurance reimbursement for BRCA gene testing on practice patterns for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). A survey regarding changes in practice patterns for HBOC before and after the announcement was conducted online. The rate of BRCA gene testing was obtained from the National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. From May to August 2016, 70 physicians responded to the survey. Genetic testing recommendations and prophylactic management were increased after the announcement. Risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy and contralateral prophylactic mastectomy was significantly increased in BRCA carriers with breast cancer. The BRCA testing rate increased annually. Health insurance and a celebrity announcement were associated with increased genetic testing.