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Cancer Prevention: Should I Get Genetic Testing to Understand my Risk?

Maybe you have a family history. Maybe you're curious about your risk. 

Predictive genetic testing for cancer can be a great tool for a specific subset of the population. Most people do not need genetic testing, but it is often recommended when hereditary cancers run in a family. 

a geneticist testing for cancer

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), roughly 5-10% of people diagnosed with cancer acquired it from their genetics, meaning it was passed down either from their maternal- or paternal-side or both. This is caused by a mutation in the DNA sequence that predisposes someone to cancer. This predisposition does not mean you will get cancer, but it does mean you are at a higher risk for developing certain types of hereditary cancers. 

While cancer can come from the environment, personal factors and/or genetics, you should consider genetic testing if*:

  • You have multiple relatives on one side of the family with breast, ovarian, prostate, pancreatic, endometrial, gastric, melanoma or colon cancer
  • There is a known genetic mutation or syndrome on either side of the family such as BRCA, BRCA2 or Lynch Syndrome
  • You or a family member has been diagnosed with more than one type of cancer
  • One or more family members have been diagnosed or passed away from cancer before the age of 50
  • A family member has been diagnosed with a rare type of cancer (example: breast cancer in a man)
  • You are of an ethnicity with well-known cancer links (example: Ashkenazi Jewish individuals)
  • A physical finding is linked to an inherited cancer (example: many colon polyps)

To get genetic testing, you will be required to provide information about your personal medical history and age, as well as a three-generation family pedigree. The specimen for genetic testing can be obtained through saliva or blood. One option is not better than the other, but RNA testing can be performed with a required blood sample. This specific type of sequencing gives clinicians the ability to provide more information about cancer prevention to patients with a mutation. Insurance often does not cover testing.​

If you suspect you are a fit for predictive genetic testing, you may consider reaching out to a genetic counselor, gynecologist or oncologist. He or she can work with you to decide if testing is right for you. 

*Source: The American Cancer Society

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