1.   Silverman feared her own cancer was inevitable, so when tests for two genes known to cause inherited breast cancer became available, she sought to determine her risk.

2.   Some of the newest DNA tests are the most controversial, particularly tests for two inherited breast cancer genes, because the manufacturers are targeting large numbers of consumers.

3.   That could make a predisposition to inherited breast cancer easier to detect, because a test would look for damage to the gene rather than the gene itself.

4.   The authors of the study say it is the first to look for a link between birth control pills and breast cancer risk in families with inherited breast cancer.

5.   Women at high risk for inherited breast and ovarian cancer can sharply reduce the chances of developing either disease by having surgery to remove their ovaries and fallopian tubes.

6.   Together, the two forms could account for a large portion of inherited breast cancer.