Quest to Build Genetic Test Database

Two of the nation's largest clinical laboratories are teaming up with France's national health agency to curate a database for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations to help determine hereditary risks of breast and ovarian cancer, Quest Diagnostics said Tuesday. Quest will join LabCorp in the project and invite other medical testing companies and public laboratories to participate in the program, known as BRCA Share. DNA testing data is often kept within a diagnostic lab, making it more difficult to analyze gene mutations and causing more uncertainty about the risk of cancer for patients. With more labs participating, Quest also plans to conduct more research studies.