Genetic Testing and Counseling

Genetic testing for hereditary cancer will help you understand a personal or family history of cancer. Certain genetic variants can make your risk of developing cancer significantly higher than that of the average person. If you have a personal or family history of cancer, genetic testing can help guide you and us in making decisions about your treatment or prevention plan. Genetic testing can also identify family members who may be at risk too. Knowing if you have a genetic variant can help you be more proactive about your health by getting earlier or more frequent screenings, performing preventative surgery to reduce your risk, using certain medicines, or qualifying you for clinical trials. It has been researched that over 10% of breast cancer cases are caused by a mutation in the genes. The two genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, which are responsible for causing breast cancer tend to run in the family and are passed on from one generation to another. If one woman in the family develops cancer, there are high chances that at least two women before her, belonging to the same lineage, had breast cancer too. These people are at a higher risk of developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer along with many other forms of cancer such as melanoma, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer. Even if you previously have tested negative for BRCA1 or BRCA2, you may be a candidate for additional genetic testing. Current testing protocols include panels with dozens of cancer genes.