There is concern that incidental variant reporting could be misinterpreted as an exhaustive evaluation of all variation within the genes on this list. These recommendations should not be construed as an expectation that the laboratory comprehensively assess these genes for all variants, but rather that the laboratory evaluate the sequence data on these genes that are generated in the course of routine clinical sequencing. There is potential for confusion and even harm to patients if the clinician misunderstands these limitations of the incidental findings report. For example, if incidental findings are returned without identification of mutations for any of the cancer susceptibility syndromes, and it later comes to light that the patient has a family history suggestive of a Mendelian cancer susceptibility syndrome, the patient or other family members might incorrectly consider themselves to have been “tested” and found to be “negative.” In fact, a novel missense mutation that may or may not be causative of the disorder, could be segregating with affected family members may (appropriately) not have been included in the report of incidental findings. An analogous situation
