Cancer Genetics
What is genetic counseling and testing for hereditary cancer predisposition?
Most of the time, cancer occurs sporadically. Sometimes, cancer can occur due to a genetic change that a person was born with that increases the likelihood of developing certain cancers. Genetic counseling and testing can help determine if you have an increased risk to develop certain cancers due to a genetic change.
Examples of increased risk
Examples of personal or family histories that may indicate a hereditary cancer predisposition include:
• Diagnoses of certain cancers at a younger age (before age 50).
• Several people on the same side of the family with the same or related cancers (i.e. breast and ovarian).
• Individuals who have had more than one type of cancer.
• Individuals with rare cancers (i.e. male breast cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer).
Your genetic counselor will perform a detailed assessment of your personal and/or family history of cancer, discuss with you whether testing is appropriate, and explain the risks and benefits of genetic testing. After testing, they will help you understand what your results mean for you and your relatives.
What is a cancer risk assessment?
Genetic testing is one piece of understanding cancer risk. An individual’s risk for certain cancers may be influenced by family history alone, even if genetic testing is negative or is not done. A cancer risk assessment involves looking closely at personal and family history to better understand an individual’s risk for cancer and the screening that would be recommended based on that risk.
Does insurance tend to cover genetic testing?
Your genetic counselor will review your personal and/or family history of cancer to help you better understand if testing is likely to be a covered benefit.
What is the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Clinic?
Testing positive for a hereditary cancer gene mutation does not mean that you will develop cancer, but rather that the risk for certain cancers is increased. Knowing this information is important and powerful, as increased screening and prevention strategies can help detect cancer at an earlier stage and even prevent some cancers from developing. Patients who carry a hereditary cancer mutation can establish care with the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Clinic at UCHealth, where our providers specialize in hereditary cancer and can follow patients long term and help arrange their screening and surveillance.
